Abdul Rahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – A former Jeddah mayor appeared Tuesday before a court and denied the corruption-related charges leveled against him. The former official was accused of approving developments on the Umm Al-Khair and Al-Musaad plots, which were allegedly in flood paths and badly hit by the catastrophic Jeddah floods of 2009 and 2011, and issuing construction licenses. He told the court that he did not approve such plots, at which the judge told the official that he confessed previously that he took SR5 million from a businessman in bribe to allow him to construct buildings on the plots. The official was also charged with abusing his powers and failing to implement the royal decrees banning the construction of buildings in any flood path. The defendant in response said he appeared before the court previously and denied that he took a SR5 million bribe from a businessman. He added that he confessed under duress and he suffers from several medical conditions. He said the SR5 million was not a bribe but was intended to purchase shares in the project and that these shares made profits of SR7 million 10 years after he left the mayoralty. He denied allegations that he gave permits to the businessman to build more floors. He presented the court with documented evidence that showed the permit to build more floors was approved by the ministry and the whole thing took place two years after he became a shareholder in the project. Regarding allegations that he issued construction permits for the Faraj Al-Musaad plot, the ex-mayor said he approved the study conducted by a committee that recommended such action. Besides, he added, the ministry's letter showed that it was safe to construct buildings in this plot, which was not situated at the foot of a valley. Regarding claims he issued construction permits for the Umm Al-Khair plot, he said he did not do that as he left the mayoralty before any construction permits were issued. At this point, the judge showed the defendant letters from him that appeared to state he had given approval for issuing construction permits. The defendant told the court that the letters could not be considered final approvals for construction. They were in fact final approvals for studying the plans for developments before any construction permits were granted, he added. The second defendant involved in the case, a businessman, denied all the charges leveled against him in the court. He said all his confessions were made under duress. He told the court that he had been a respected real estate dealer for 50 years. He said he was humiliated when he was handcuffed and taken into custody in front of his family and employees and his reputation had been damaged severely. Regarding the plot of lands he owned at Al-Matar Al-Qadeem, he said he had shares in the plot worth SR50 million. He also said that the former mayor was also a shareholder in the project and he could prove that through documented evidence. The third person accused in the case did not appear before the court because he was still in hospital suffering from diabetes and cardiac-related problems.
The fourth accused in the case, a former deputy mayor, said the Umm Al-Khair plot was issued construction licenses after he and the former mayor left their posts. He said neither himself nor the former mayor had given any permits to construct buildings on this plot. The court adjourned the case until Oct. 10.
