The Control and Investigation Board (CIB) has charged six top former and current mayoralty officials and businessmen with bribery in relation to the Jeddah flood disaster. Informed sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the six suspects are the most well-known persons so far charged with crimes linked to the floods. The list includes city's deputy mayor, who has been suspended from work; the director of an important mayoralty administration; a former head of a municipality, who has been suspended from work; an engineer; trader; prominent businessman; and a retiree who had worked in a high-ranking government job. The CIB confirmed that the six were released on bail and have been charged with accepting and giving bribes and engaging in trading prohibited for government employees. In the charge sheets referred to the Board of Grievances, the CIB also presented evidence to support the charges. It has been alleged that one of the leading mayoralty officials received a SR5.5 million bribe from a well-known businessman, who also bribed a renowned engineer to help him gain a title deed for a plot of land not owned by anyone. The Public Prosecutor presented 25 pieces of evidence against the six accused, including statements of bank accounts and confessions attested in the Shariah Court. The Public Prosecutor stressed that the accused will not be allowed to deny the charges and claim they had confessed under duress. He said their confessions have been attested, and they had been of sound mind and had done so willingly. They are responsible under the law which states that “a person is responsible for what he has admitted”. The CIB has based its arguments on Articles 1, 3, 10, 12 and 15 of the Anti-Bribery Law; and charged the first and second accused according to Article 1, Paragraph 1 of the Royal Decree concerning government employees engaging in trade. __
