JEDDAH: The Control and Investigation Board (CIB) is continuing to investigate a Jeddah Mayoralty employee for a cell-phone bribery, after dropping bribery charges against four others in Jeddah flood investigations. According to sources, the CIB has proven that the employee had been bribed with a cellphone by a furniture company that has a contract with the mayoralty. The five employees, all assistant deputies to the mayor, had initially been referred to the CIB by the fact-finding committee which had investigated corruption in connection with the flood disaster last year in Jeddah. The sources said the CIB dropped the charges against the four men because of a lack of evidence. The sources said the official will be referred to a court of law to stand trial. He was allegedly given the cellphone in Ramadan 2009 when the furniture company was distributing dates to the mayoralty's employees. The sources said the official admitted that the company's representatives met him and asked him to give them his car keys so that they could put the dates into his car. On his way home he was surprised to find a mobile phone in his vehicle. He claimed that he immediately called the company's representative to clarify the matter. He claimed the representative told him that he had distributed all the dates and that the mobile phone was the only gift left to give him. The sources said the company has denied the allegations. They sources added that the four men are now considering whether to file a lawsuit at the Administrative Court to get compensation for the time they were held in jail and for being publicly defamed. The five officials were held in custody for 84 days.
