The anti-corruption
authority of Saudi Arabia on Sunday said that it has detained 298 government
employees suspected of bribery, embezzlement, waste of public funds, and misuse
of office.
Nazaha, the Kingdom’s
anti-graft agency accused the suspects - among them judges, military and police
officers - of embezzling 379 million Riyals (US$101 million) and said that
investigators would raise charges
against them.
The agency said it was
investigating a total of 674 people.
Although corruption is
widespread, it is believed that the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman, is using graft allegations as an excuse to strengthen his power.
He is believed to have
been behind the mass arrest of 2017 when hundreds of members of the country’s royal
family, political and business elite were held in deluxe hotels like the
Ritz-Carlton as corruption suspects.
Most were released in
exchange for monetary settlements which yielded US$100 billion. Some
detainees were reportedly physically mistreated.
Just two weeks ago,
the brother and a nephew of King Salman were arrested and taken to a desert
camp. It is unclear whether the two senior royals planned a plot against the
crown prince that triggered the arrests.
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