Saudi Arabia: 7of 208 Accused Of Corruption Have Been Released

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Seven of the 208 accused of corruption have been released, according to a statement by the Attorney-General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the latest development related to the action initiated by the recently instituted High Commission against Corruption.

Sheikh Saud Al Moaajeb, Attorney General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and member of the Supreme Committee for Combating Corruption, said on Thursday that the investigations of the individuals who have been summoned are proceeding rapidly and updates will be provided.

The Attorney General said that “the number of persons arrested was 208, while seven were released, for lack of sufficient evidence.”

Earlier on Thursday, Saudi Arabia also announced a new list of people suspected of corruption.

Funds were frozen, with arrests also involving managers and officials of government and judicial institutions.

Sheikh Saud said “the financial value of these decades-long practices amounts to very large amount of misappropriated and unutilized public funds, and the potential value of these amounts may exceed $100 billion, according to initial investigations.”

Further evidence to substantiate the facts in these cases will continue to be collected he said, and “as announced on Tuesday, the Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) has accepted my request to freeze their personal assets in this investigation. This action confirms the findings of our preliminary investigation over the past three years on the scale of these corrupt and large practices.”

CHOIRUL AMINUDDIN | AL ARABIYA