KUWAIT CITY, Feb 17: The Public Anti-Corruption Authority, known as “Nazaha,” disclosed that it has received 910 reports of corruption crimes during the previous two fiscal years, spanning from 2021/2022 to 2022/2023. Among these reports, 82 cases have been referred to the Public Prosecution for further investigation and legal action, reports Al-Jarida daily. This revelation was made in response to a memorandum from the Minister of Justice and Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Faisal Al-Gharib, following a query submitted earlier by MP Fahd Al-Masoud regarding corruption complaints handled by Nazaha during the specified period.

Nazaha outlined its procedures for dealing with received reports, which involve verification of formal and substantive conditions for report acceptance, followed by registration and initiation of investigative procedures. These procedures include initial inquiries, witness summoning, collection of relevant information, and inference gathering regarding alleged corruption incidents. In cases where corruption is not substantiated but administrative violations persist, Nazaha informs relevant authorities for administrative investigations and corrective measures to prevent future violations.

Regarding reports resulting in suspicions of corruption crimes, Nazaha stated that 82 cases were referred to the Public Prosecution for further scrutiny, by Article No. 22 of the law establishing the Authority. Furthermore, Nazaha highlighted its efforts in conducting awareness programs, totaling 240 sessions, aimed at enhancing integrity, combating corruption, and familiarizing stakeholders with the scope of Nazaha’s work. These programs cover topics such as money laundering, asset recovery, employee rehabilitation, and the introduction of laws related to information access rights and conflicts of interest.