The verdict in the largest bribery case to be heard by courts in Saudi Arabia is expected to be pronounced Tuesday. The Board of Grievances in Taif is expected to rule against 26 people, 24 of them municipality civil servants in Taif. They stand accused of accepting bribes thought to be in the region of SR100,000. Bribery cases in the Kingdom increased by 15 percent in 2007 with over 500 cases reported in Riyadh alone, according to an Interior Ministry report. Saudi anti-corruption laws stipulate severe punishment against those who receive bribes, stating that employees who accept gifts or promises to perform any duties face 10 years imprisonment or fines of up to one million riyals. The judge presiding over the case has said in the previous sitting that he expected to pronounce a verdict in the following session. He has said that he was awaiting a letter from the municipality authorities stating the exact amount of money involved in the bribery. The judge has also asked the Control and Investigation Bureau to provide the court with the names of the Administration Investigation department inspectors who reported the bribes. The Bureau has reservations over revealing the names of the agents and is concerned that public exposure could impede their work in the future.
