Officials of 6 KSA ministries among 65 arrested on charges of corruption

RIYADH: A total of 65 people, both citizens and expatriates have been arrested for their alleged involvement in corruption, Saudi Arabia’s anti-graft authority has said Thursday.

In a statement, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) said amongst those arrested on suspicion of irregularities and embezzlement, 48 are officials and employees from the many ministries and government departments who were rounded up during as many as 460 Nazaha inspection raids carried out during the current month.

Ministries and departments include defense, interior, justice, municipal and rural affairs and housing, education, and environment, water and agriculture; the Presidency of State Security; the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection.

The charges framed against them included bribery, abuse of power, and forgery.

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The arrest of the suspects was made after carrying out investigations into the alleged role of 411 people.

Nazaha said that the legal procedures are being completed prior to referring them to courts.

The commission called on everyone to report, in the event of noticing any suspicious activities involving financial or administrative corruption