The official spokesman of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority announced that the Authority initiated a number of criminal cases during the past period, resulting in the suspension and arrest of a military officer, a businessman, residents, and employees in several ministries.

An employee was caught receiving 200,000 riyals in exchange for not issuing fines on a commercial entity.

The Authority suspended a citizen, a businessman, for offering 1.6 million riyals to a customs broker to facilitate the entry of two shipping containers through the Jeddah Islamic Port containing restricted tobacco, in exchange for not paying the due government customs fees of 14 million riyals. It also suspended an employee of the Ministry of Health in one region for receiving 900,000 riyals in installments in exchange for irregularly awarding several projects to a commercial entity.

The Authority added that cooperation with the Ministry of Energy led to the arrest of a resident working on one of the ministry's projects at the moment he received 200,000 riyals in exchange for not issuing fines and penalties on a commercial entity amounting to 1.5 million riyals. Meanwhile, a resident working for an engineering consultancy office and appointed as an expert by the commercial court in a commercial dispute case was arrested at the moment he received 50,000 riyals out of an agreed 100,000 riyals, in exchange for preparing a technical report in favor of one party to the dispute in an irregular manner.

The Authority pointed out that cooperation with the Ministry of Interior resulted in the suspension of a former military officer at the General Directorate of Passports for receiving a total of 60,500 riyals in exchange for irregularly completing procedures for expatriates' transactions. Additionally, an employee of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority in one region was arrested at the moment he received 55,000 riyals in exchange for irregularly modifying the status of goods entering the Kingdom.

The Authority indicated that two employees working for the municipality of one governorate were suspended for receiving 40,000 riyals in exchange for irregularly completing procedures for transactions. Meanwhile, an employee working for the secretariat of one region was arrested at the moment he received 10,000 riyals out of an agreed 50,000 riyals, in exchange for irregularly completing a transaction at the secretariat.

The Authority announced the arrest of an employee of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in one region at the moment he received 10,000 riyals in exchange for not issuing violations against a commercial entity during his field inspections. Additionally, an employee of the same ministry in one governorate and a citizen were suspended because the employee received 2,500 riyals from the citizen in exchange for handing over a false letter addressed to the General Directorate of Passports to cancel an absence report on a resident with the aim of transferring his sponsorship to the citizen.

Suspension of 4 employees for irregularly hiring others

The suspension decisions included 4 employees working for the municipality of one governorate for irregularly hiring a number of citizens related to them, disbursing salaries to a number of residents working in the municipality and benefiting from them irregularly. Additionally, a resident working in a health facility was suspended for receiving money in exchange for issuing a medical examination report and laboratory test for an expatriate without his presence and attaching the reports via the electronic platform of the Baladi system. Also, the director of a periodic inspection station and an employee at the same station in one region were suspended for receiving money in exchange for irregularly completing vehicle inspection procedures.

The Authority added that, in cooperation with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, an employee of the ministry in one region was suspended for seizing a number of computers while working as a warehouse custodian for the ministry in the region. Also, an employee working at a driving school in one governorate was arrested at the moment he received money from a resident in exchange for completing procedures for issuing a driver's license without attending the school.

The Authority affirmed that it continues to monitor and apprehend anyone who encroaches on public funds or exploits their position for personal gain or to harm the public interest, and to hold them accountable even after their relationship with the job ends, as financial and administrative corruption crimes are not subject to statute of limitations. The Authority stressed that it will continue to implement the provisions of the law against violators without leniency.