JEDDAH: Three officials and a businessman have been detained on charges, including money laundering, in connection with last year's devastating floods in Jeddah, according to sources. Their cases have been referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution in Jeddah. Some of the accused have previously faced charges including bribery, forgery, abuse of power and making financial gains from public office. “The suspect officials are a former Jeddah mayor, a notary public, an engineer at Jeddah Mayoralty and a businessman. The four suspects have been referred to the Finance Circuit at the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution which will investigate the crimes of money laundering, forgery and abuse of office. This is in preparation for charging them ahead of a trial at Jeddah General Court,” said a source. The source said the four suspects were detained and released on bail. The source added that the four suspects and those involved in Jeddah's flood disaster, are being interrogated by the bureau in connection with crimes linked to the embezzlement of public funds. Those being investigated have been named in reports compiled by the fact-finding committee chaired by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah. The committee accused them of fraud, coverup and misrepresentation.
