The Federal Integrity Commission building in Baghdad, where officials announced the sentencing of the former Babylon municipalities director.
Iraq recovers smuggled funds from Jordan after corruption ruling
BAGHDAD – Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission said Sunday it has recovered funds smuggled to Jordan by the former director of the Iraqi Stock and Document Exchange Authority, following a court ruling in Amman that upheld Iraq’s request.
The commission said Baghdad filed a formal request through diplomatic channels asking Jordan to freeze the movable and immovable assets of the convicted official. The man was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to 15 years in prison under Article 316 of the Penal Code and ordered to repay 332,176,290 dinars (about $234,600).
“The coordination and serious cooperation with the competent authorities in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan resulted in the approval to recover funds illegally transferred to Jordan to the Iraqi state treasury,” the commission said in a statement, noting that the assets had been seized by the fugitive former director.
Jordan’s courts issued a final ruling recognizing and enforcing a decision from Baghdad’s Karrada Court requiring the return of the assets, the statement said. The Amman Court of First Instance ordered the funds released and procedures initiated to return them to Iraq.
The commission praised Jordanian authorities for their response, calling it an example of effective international cooperation against corruption.