A sign outside Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity headquarters in Baghdad, which continues to lead investigations into corruption and property fraud across the country.
Four Najaf employees arrested over fake transactions and expired medical supplies
BAGHDAD — The Federal Integrity Commission announced Tuesday the arrest of four government employees in Najaf on charges of organizing fraudulent transactions and committing financial violations. The cases involve three employees from Kufa Municipality accused of fabricating procurement deals worth 48 million dinars ($34,000) and one employee at Al-Sadr Hospital accused of supplying expired medical materials valued at 150 million dinars ($106,000).
In a statement, the commission said “four employees working in the Kufa Municipality Directorate and the Health Department in Najaf Governorate were arrested for deliberately violating their official duties.”
A team from the commission’s Najaf Investigation Office carried out two operations under judicial supervision. The first involved “three defendants — the head and members of the purchasing committee at Kufa Municipality — who organized fake transactions for the purchase of materials for various areas of the city worth 48 million dinars, without entering the items into storage,” the statement said.
Another team moved to the Najaf Health Department, where “a suspect at Al-Sadr Hospital was caught for supplying medical materials worth a total of 150 million dinars, without regard for the hospital’s actual needs, in addition to the remaining items being expired,” according to the commission. It said the act “caused damage to public funds.”
The commission confirmed that two official arrest reports were filed under Article 331 of the Penal Code and that the suspects, along with evidence, were referred to the competent investigative court in Najaf to complete legal proceedings.