The Control and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) announced the issuance of a number of verdicts on cases it has previously initiated. The perpetrators were referred to the Criminal Court in Riyadh (divisions of financial and administrative corruption), which issued first instance and final rulings.
Among the cases was a first instance ruling convicting three persons, including an employee at the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing, a student officer of the Military colleges affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and an expatriate of Arab nationality. The first and second culprits used forged academic qualifications to obtain a government post, while the expatriate facilitated the acquisition of the false certificates.
Another verdict convicted a security officer at the Ministry of Interior with the rank of Major General with forgery, administrative misuse, abuse of influence to achieve personal gains and engagement in private business. He was punished with imprisonment for eight years and a fine of 160,000 riyals. Another officer working in the same department was punished for participating in forgery and administrative misuse. His punishment included imprisonment for two years and six months and a fine of 100,000 riyals.
A non-commissioned officer was also convicted for forgery and punished with three years in prison and a fine of 200,000 riyals, and an officer with the rank of brigadier-general working in a different security department within the Ministry of Interior was accused of misuse and engagement in private commerce. He was punished with imprisonment for two years and a fine of 10,000 riyals.
A first instance ruling also convicted an officer who works in one of the prisons affiliated with the Ministry of Interior for attempting to smuggle cell phones into the prison, taking advantage of his post. He received a punishment of 2-year imprisonment.
The Riyadh Court also issued a first instance ruling convicting several employees of a security company with bribery and illegally taking advantage of a government support program (SANED), which was provided to alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were punished with imprisonment for periods ranging from one to four years and fines amounting to 75,000 riyals.
A final ruling convicted four persons, including an employee at the Ministry of Defense, a citizen and two expatriates, of forging official documents. They were punished with imprisonment for five years and a fine of 100,000 riyals.
Another first instance ruling punished an officer with the rank of Brigadier General who works in security patrols in one of the regions for exploiting the influence of the public office for personal gains, using an official vehicle to facilitate the crossing of an acquaintance from the security points during the curfew period. He was sentenced to five-year imprisonment.
Nazaha also said that the first instance and final rulings were issued, convicting several expatriates of offering sums of money as a bribe to security officers and public employees to carry out or abstain from certain duties. They were sentenced to imprisonment for periods ranging from six months to five years.
