488 cases of funds violations cited – List referred to Parliament

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KUWAIT CITY, May 7: The latest statistics released by the Ministry of Justice revealed that 488 cases of public funds violations in several State agencies and institutions were recorded from Aug 1, 2015 to Jan 31, 2016 — an indication of the rising rate of financial violations in the public sector.

Minister of Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Yaqoub Al-Sanae confirmed referral of the list of violations to the Parliament for discussion in its next session.

This move corresponds with the ministerial decision issued on June 23, 2009 concerning the obligation of the government to present two annual reports on the number of public funds cases to the Public Funds Protection Committee in the Parliament.

The report showed that court verdicts were issued on 150 of the cases, 68 are still under investigation, 39 were either dismissed or filed in courts that have no jurisdiction over them, and 32 cases are in the court awaiting for proceedings to commence.

On the distribution of these cases in terms of ministries or institutions, the Ministry of Electricity and Water is on top with 74 cases, followed by the Ministry of Health with 27, Kuwait Investment Authority and the Public Institution of Social Security with 13 cases each, the Ministry of Information and the Public Authority for Youth Affairs with 11 cases each, Kuwait Ports Authority with seven cases, Ministry of Justice with six cases, Ministry of Awqaf with five cases; four cases each for the ministries of Interior, Social Affairs and Labor, Public Authority for Housing Welfare, Kuwait Credit Bank, Zakat House; two cases each for the State Ministry for Housing Affairs and Public Authority for Handicap Affairs; one case each for the Public Authority for Printing and Publication of Quran, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Kuwait Airways Corporation and the National Council for Culture Art and Letters.

The report mentioned that 15 government bodies have no cases concerning public funds — General Secretariat for Private Universities Council, State Ministry of National Assembly Affairs, Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research, National Agency for Academic Accreditation, General Secretariat of Awqaf, Public Authority for Civil Information, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate, State Audit Bureau, Central Tender Committee, National Guard, Kuwait News Agency, State Ministry for Youths Affairs, Public Authority for Minors, Central Bank of Kuwait and Ministry of Finance.

The report also said that 14 institutions have not sent their reports as follows: ministries of Education and Higher Education, Communication, Commerce and Industry, Defense, Foreign Affairs, Oil as well as the Environment Public Authority, Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, Civil Service Commission, Government Manpower Restructuring Program, Fatwa and Legislation Department, Kuwait Municipality and Court of Appeals.

By Raed Yusuf and AbdulRahman Al-Shemmeri Al-Seyassah Staff

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