RIYADH — A total of 155 government officials were arrested over corruption charges. Some of the arrested persons were released on bail, according to the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha). The Nazaha said in a statement on its X account that its officials carried out a total of 924 inspection raids during the last month of June. The Nazaha initiated a number of criminal and administrative cases following the oversight rounds in June, which resulted in the investigation of cases against 382 officials accused of various corruption charges. These officials are from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Transport and Logistics, and Ministry of Culture, in addition to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority. The corruption charges against them include bribery, abuse of power, forgery, and money laundering. The authority said that 155 people were arrested during the course of the investigation. Nazaha stated that the average oversight rounds that were carried out in the Holy Sites during the Hajj season stood at 9,623. The oversight body had arrested about 5,235 people in corruption cases during the period between 2021 and 2023. Nazaha said that it shows no leniency while dealing with those involved in the crimes of financial and administrative corruption. The authority stated that it will continue to carry out its oversight rounds on government agencies and private establishments in order to monitor and catch anyone who infringes on public funds or exploits the job to achieve his personal benefit or to harm the public interest and hold him accountable, even after ending his relationship with the job.
