Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia indicts two Riyadh officials, six others for corruption

Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption commission has indicted eight people, including two senior officials, in Riyadh for crimes including abuse of power, bribery and exploiting health ministry funds, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

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One of the people indicted was a Ministry of Tourism employee who submitted a falsified invoice to the Ministry of Health exaggerating the price of accommodating citizens who were in quarantine after having returned to Saudi Arabia, SPA said.

The official admitted his crime during an investigation and the case is being referred to court.

The Control and Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha) also arrested a military personnel working for the interior ministry and a health ministry employee who were involved in the forgery of 31 movement permits that were being sold for $800 (3,000 riyals) each. In sum, the permits could have earned the group $24,800 (93,000 riyals) had they been sold.

The commission called on the public to report any cases of financial or administrative corruption they are aware of to prevent others from exploiting the pandemic for their personal gain, according to SPA.

Saudi Arabia has reported 9,362 confirmed coronavirus cases and 97 deaths so far.

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