ISTANBUL / Laith Al-Junaidi / Anadolu

The Federal Integrity Commission in Iraq announced on Sunday the arrest of a warehouse official at the Baghdad Electricity Distribution Company on charges of embezzling electrical materials worth about 4.4 billion Iraqi dinars ($3.36 million).

In a statement, the commission said that an audit and investigation team went to the Ministry of Electricity headquarters and managed to apprehend the defendant (unnamed) after uncovering his seizure of large quantities of electrical cables in collaboration with two other individuals.

It added that the value of the embezzled materials amounted to about 4 billion and 406 million Iraqi dinars, explaining that the arrest operation was carried out under a judicial warrant issued by the judge of the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court.

It pointed out that a formal seizure report was prepared and the defendant was presented to the investigating judge, who decided to detain him pending investigation pursuant to Article 315 of the Iraqi Penal Code concerning embezzlement and damage to public funds.

The official’s arrest comes as part of a security and judicial campaign to pursue those involved in financial and administrative corruption in Iraqi state institutions, which over the past weeks has resulted in the arrest of a number of suspects, including officials and political figures.

Investigations continue into a number of major corruption cases, while Iraqi authorities affirm their determination to pursue the perpetrators and recover public funds.