Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – A notary public facing bribery charges accused investigation authorities of treating him badly and the media of incorrectly reporting on trial proceedings during a hearing at the Jeddah Administrative Court. The defendant, a notary public officer, faces charges of receiving a bribe of SR150,000 in return for facilitating the transaction of a plot of land belonging to a local businessman, who is also standing trial in the same case. The transaction was related to a title deed for a planned residential district. In addition to this charge, the notary public officer allegedly expedited the paperwork for another title deed in return for a SR200,000 bribe. He also allegedly obtained two plots of land in Jeddah in return for facilitating transactions belonging to a defendant who was arrested in connection with the Jeddah flood disasters of 2009 and 2011. The notary public officer denied the charges. He said that he bought the land, and submitted a stub from his checkbook as evidence. However, the judge countered this argument by pointing out the individual who received the check never cashed it, but returned it to the defendant instead. The notary public officer insisted that his bank account be checked in order to confirm whether he received a bribe or not. During the hearing, the defendant insisted that he initially confessed to the charges under duress and therefore maintained his innocence. He added that in return for his confession the jailers promised to release him from solitary confinement where he had spent at least 64 days. The judge asked the defendant if he had any evidence proving that he was coerced to confess, but none had been submitted as of yet. The notary public officer also objected to the media being allowed to report on the Jeddah flood cases. He attacked two daily newspapers and demanded that their reporting concerning the case proceedings be accurate. In response to the defendant's objections, the judge said the newspapers were simply carrying out a national duty and are therefore required to report the case accurately. He added if the defendant wanted to submit an official complaint, he should contact the authority responsible for regulating the media. Most of the session was allotted to the Prosecutor General, who read the bribery charges leveled against the notary public officer and businessman. After a short recess, the judge adjourned the case until next month.
