Former Kuwait’s health minister probed in funds scam

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KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8: In an unprecedented judicial move, the commission for inquiry into the trial of ministers, which was established in 1995, has decided to refer former minister of Health Dr Ali Al-Obaidi to the Court of Ministers in order to try him for information relating to squandering of public funds. He is thus the first minister – former or present – in the country to be referred to this court, reports Aljarida daily.

The commission is headed by Counselor Osama Al-Babtain and has counselors Bader Al-Tariri and Abdulmohsen Al-Tabtabaei as members. The commission also referred to the court former undersecretary of Ministry of Health Khalid Al- Sahlawi, former assistant undersecretary Mahmoud Al-Abdulhadi and the manager of a foreign company, after releasing them on bail worth KD 3,000 each and imposing travel ban on them.

According to sources, the commission questioned the former minister and officials about hiring an insurance company to play the role of mediator and complete the procedures and fix appointments for patients, for which the company received amounts exceeding tens of millions. The sources clarified that the commission obtained the statements of Ministry of Health and State Audit Bureau in this regard and the amount statement, adding that it studied the documents relating to the matter. They added that the Court of Ministers, headed by Counselor Bader Al-Sarawi is expected to soon determine a session for trying Al-Obaidi.

This news has been read 17687 times!