MADINAH — A public sector employee and a businessman are facing corruption charges. A source said the Criminal Court was to hold the first hearing in the case on Tuesday. "The case involved an employee in the Ministry of Water, Environment and Agriculture and a businessman who owns contracting companies. The two suspects are charged with forging official documents, bribery, abuse of authority and misusing public money," said the source. The source also said the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution reported the public sector employee issued funds for development projects that were never implemented. "The employee approved funds for a project to extend water networks to villages north of Madinah and install electronic water meters at a cost of SR500,000. The projects were never implemented despite the fact that contracts for the projects were awarded," said the source. The source added the reports show the suspects spent nearly SR1 million from the public fund. "The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution interrogated 14 experts in the Ministry of Water and in the contracting company. The bureau even interrogated the project's consultant. It verified all signed contracts including their terms and conditions," said the source. He said the bureau listened to testimonies from the employee and the businessman. "The bureau discovered that the employee and the businessman had personal relationship outside of the scope of work. The bureau also found out there were secret agreements between the employee and the businessman," said the source. The public prosecutor has submitted 15 pieces of evidence against the employee and the businessman. The bureau charged the employee with abusing his authority to forge official documents for the misuse of public funds. Similar charges were brought against the businessman. Both the employee and the businessman denied the charges, claiming there is no evidence to support the accusations. The source said the employee presented nine pieces of evidence to prove his innocence.
