The District Court in Jeddah has postponed the legal proceedings of a massive fraud case here because of the failure of the Jeddah Police Department to apprehend the main accused known as Ibrahim K. Ibrahim K. was released in an alleged mix-up by the authorities and has since gone missing. The Ministry of Interior issued orders for his arrest, but the police have not been able to track him down for 13 months. He is wanted for stealing SR270 million from people who invested in his alleged fraudulent scheme. The case involves the Lahoum Al-Mar'a company, which sells livestock and frozen meat through its outlets in Jeddah. Ibrahim K. is the brother of the owner of the company. He promised investors a return of 68 percent in the first month, which analysts say is an “astronomical return” for any kind of investment. During the course of their investigations, the General Prosecutor discovered that three other alleged accomplices in the scam bought three villas at the Jeddah Corniche for SR10 million. They were held in prison but one was subsequently released. District Judge Turki Bin Dhafer Al-Qarni has extended the detention of the other two alleged embezzlers. Al-Qarni found that the release of Ibrahim K. was made without his knowledge. It was found that there was allegedly a mix-up between the Civil Status, the General Prison Authority and the Jeddah Police more than a year ago, and that somehow Ibrahim K. was not held. He has been on the run ever since. As a result of this, the District Judge submitted a letter to Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the Emir of Makkah, asking for an order for the Jeddah Police Department to arrest Ibrahim K. because the case concerns private and public rights. Sources at the court said the case was postponed by the District Judge based on a law that allows the judge to do this if the main accused is not in court. The judge can hear testimony from the plaintiff and other witnesses, but cannot issue a verdict unless the main defendant appears in court. The law also empowers the judge to issue an arrest warrant if the defendant fails to justify his absence.
