Prosecution ends probe in MoI suspected funds’ squandering

This news has been read 9595 times!

Criminal court to set hearing

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 23, (KUNA): The Public Prosecution finalized cross-examining the case of a libel suit that had been presented by the Ministry of Interior with respect of “seizing and facilitating seizure of public funds” in the department. The prosecution declared that it referred the case to the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal to set a hearing by the Criminal Court.

The prosecution said in a press release on Wednesday that it had ended the probe and handling of the case, based on a notification by the Ministry of Interior, charging personnel and officials with seizing public funds and facilitating embezzlement of these funds, in light of a report by the Audit Bureau about financial irregularities in guests’ accommodation category in the ministry budget during 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.

Public Prosecutor Dherar Al-Asousi had tasked a team of investigators from the department of public finances, headed by a public attorney, to look into the case. The panel questioned more than 40 witnesses, including the chief and members of a panel that had been formed by the minister of interior for this case.

Moreover, the investigators examined tens of thousands of documents, solicited specialists’ expertise from the Audit Bureau, the Central Bank of Kuwait and commercial banks. Furthermore, the prosecution had issued prison warrants against nine of the indicted persons, pending investigations’ conclusion. The prosecution has indicted 24 persons, including eight who have remained at large. These have been accused of embezzling public funds, facilitating funds’ misappropriation, engaging in money laundering, counterfeiting official documents and being gravely negligent, thus leading to squandering the funds.

This news has been read 9595 times!