Graft Board, established recently under a Royal Decree, will be an executive body empowered to study the findings of the investigations of the Control and Investigation Board (CIB) and the General Auditing Bureau (GAB) into the embezzlement of public funds through administrative contracts, according to sources. They said the CIB and GAB will soon start examining a number of dossiers of projects and provide copies to the new board. Dr. Omar Al-Khuli, Professor of Law at King Abdul Aziz University and legal consultant at the Human Rights Commission, said from reading the Royal Decree, the board's jurisdiction seems to be to combat corruption related to public funds and crimes related to public service positions. Appointing the board's head at the rank of minister, linked directly to the King, ensures it is on par with ministries and public departments. It will be able to carry out its tasks as a counterpart to other ministries and not be a body that is drawn into the bureaucracy or become involved in any conflicts of interest, he said. Al-Khuli said violations related to government contracts, including construction, maintenance and operations, are expected to fall within the jurisdiction of the new board.
