Dhi Qar

Integrity commission arrests government employee for alleged bribery

2024-08-07 | 16:25

DHI QAR— The Iraqi Commission of Integrity on Wednesday revealed violations totaling 4.5 billion Iraqi dinars (about $3.43 million) in Dhi Qar province projects, alongside the arrest of a government employee for bribery.

During a sting operation by the Dhi Qar Investigation Office, an employee from the social protection network in Al-Rifai was detained. “The employee was caught accepting a bribe in exchange for processing a stalled citizen’s application. The initial bribe amount was 500,000 dinars, with a total bribe of 4 million dinars to be paid upon the release of the salary,” detailed the commission’s report.

The investigation also uncovered irregularities in a Nasiriyah Municipality housing project for Dhi Qar Investment Authority employees. Violations included awarding the project without necessary approvals and failure to include the municipality’s share in sectoral housing designs. The authority also did not take legal action against the investor, as required.

Further issues were found in the Al-Bu Saad road construction project, completed in 2010 with a cost of 2.7 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $2.08 million). “The project’s records were found destroyed, leading to the loss of the project’s maintenance period and damage to parts of the road,” the commission noted, with damages reported at 52.9 million Iraqi dinars (around $40,362).

Additional violations occurred in the Al-Dawaie district under the Regional Development Projects, costing 1.7 billion Iraqi dinars (about $1.33 million). “The governorate spent the entire 10% contingency fund, amounting to 174 million Iraqi dinars ($132,762), before project completion, violating laws and regulations. The executing company did not provide any guarantees for proper implementation or secure the contract,” concluded the commission’s statement.

These findings follow a recent discovery by the commission of manipulations in real estate compensation pricing and allocation records in Dhi Qar, totaling 22 billion dinars ($16.6 million), signaling ongoing anti-corruption efforts in the region.