Former Kirkuk governor detained on corruption charges, faces investigation

KIRKUK — Iraq’s former governor of Kirkuk, Rakan Saeed Al-Jubouri, has been detained for three days pending investigation on charges related to the misuse of public funds, a judicial source told 964media on Monday.

The detention order was issued by the Karkh Investigative Court for Integrity Cases in Baghdad under Article 340 of the Iraqi Penal Code.

“Rakan Saeed appeared before the Karkh Investigative Court for Integrity Cases on charges of wasting public money, including purchasing vehicles for the governorate at inflated prices — several of which were later damaged,” the source said. “The judge ordered his detention at Al-Salihiya prison for three days.”

Article 340 states that “any public official who intentionally causes harm to the funds or interests of the entity in which they work, or those related to their duties, or to property entrusted to them, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding seven years or by detention.”

Iraqi lawmaker Dilan Ghafoor confirmed the arrest to 964media, stating that she has submitted more than 10 corruption-related case files involving Al-Jubouri to the Integrity Commission.

“One of the most prominent cases is related to the Kirkuk airport project,” Ghafoor said. She also accused the former governor of misusing funds allocated for the reconstruction of areas previously under ISIS control, alleging they were spent instead on developing guest facilities for his personal use.

Additional allegations include the purchase of vehicles for Kirkuk’s Integrity Department, which Ghafoor claimed were intended to obstruct investigations into his own corruption cases.

Al-Jubouri served as acting governor of Kirkuk from 2017 until late 2024, a period marked by heightened political tension and disputes over the administrative future of the oil-rich governorate. He was appointed following the dismissal of former governor Najmaldin Karim after the 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum.