The Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution in Makkah region has acquitted eight persons who were charged with bribery, paper forgery and abuse of power as part of the Jeddah flood cases. A source said: “The decision to acquit was made after conducting extensive investigations. However, a ninth person, a Saudi engineer who used to work at Jeddah Mayoralty, has been referred to the Administrative Court at the Bureau of Grievances in Jeddah.” Amongst the acquitted were a former assistant undersecretary of Jeddah Mayoralty and a former undersecretary at the Department of Projects in Jeddah Mayoralty. The acquitted defendants also included three Lebanese persons, an Arab holding a Swedish passport, a Syrian, and a Saudi who works for a survey company. All men were acquitted of bribery, abuse of power and forgery charges, according to a report in Al-Watan newspaper. Their names have now been taken off the list of people banned from traveling outside the Kingdom. Six other top officials involved in the Jeddah flood cases are set to stand trial at the Administrative Court next month.
