The accountant who was sacked over accusations he was insane – a charge he was subsequently cleared of – wants the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) to help clear his name and get his job back. Waleed Al-Mulla, the former accountant of Al-Amal Hospital, said that his case is being delayed at the Health Medical Commission. He said he has been battling for four months to get justice. Sources at the NSHR in Makkah confirmed that the society received Al-Mulla's complaint letter on Saturday. It contains the history of his case, including his sacking, his arrest by the police, the non-payment of his salary and the accusation that he was insane. He also complains of alleged foot-dragging by the Health Medical Commission who was handed his case after he was cleared by psychiatrists of being mad in February. Al-Mulla said Al-Amal Hospital had deprived him of a SR2,000 supervision allowance and victimized him for his refusal to approve payment and purchase orders that allegedly violated regulations. Al-Mulla stressed that the hospital administration had tried to blackmail him verbally and had also threatened to fire and marginalize him. Eventually the administration dismissed him. He said he would continue his case in the courts to restore his rights and reputation. Saudi Gazette reported on Feb. 22 that an examination of Al-Mulla showed that there was “no conclusive evidence of insanity”. The report revealed, however, that the accountant had had injections commonly used in the treatment of a variety of mental conditions, but that this “in no way condemned him as insane”. The injections had only been used once and were administered by a psychiatric consultant to address “family problems” the accountant was experiencing at the time. – Okaz/SG Al-Mulla claimed that the accusations of insanity had come from “influential people” at the hospital and that he was declared unstable after refusing to sign financial transactions that violated hospital regulations. Al-Amal had already been in the public eye for continued attempts by drug addict patients to escape the facility and subsequent allegations of maltreatment and poor services. The Minister of Health is currently investigating complaints from health and safety management staff at Al-Amal over unequal treatment. Staff who took their complaints to the Minister of Health said that appointments had not been made based on qualifications or experience. They said employees were getting positions through “wasta” – private connections – and “tribal affiliations”.
