Delivering a severe blow to Iraq’s legislative body, the country’s Commission of Integrity (COI) announced arresting MP Mahmoud Mulla Talal on bribery charges.
This comes one day after the rescheduling of the parliamentary session in which the Minister of Industry Saleh al-Jubouri was supposed to be grilled by the arrested deputy.
Talal is suspected to have received bribery from the minister or a third party, as reported by the Commission.
It is worth noting that the Iraqi parliament has recently lifted immunity off lawmakers accused of bribery or other crimes.
No clarification was given by either parliament or the bloc to which the accused deputy belongs, the Wisdom Bloc.
“MP Mahmoud Mulla Talal will be released in the case truth is revealed,” Wisdom Bloc spokesperson MP Assaad Al-Murshidi said, pointing fingers at Jubouri for allegedly fabricating the charges against the arrested MP.
The COI also announced the issuance of arrest warrants for former Minister of Health Adela Humood Alaboudi, two current deputies, and former governors as part of its major campaign against corruption.
In the same context, the COI in Karkh issued an arrest warrant for MP Ahmed al-Jubouri.
