Iraqi Integrity commission uncovers irregularities in various cases

BAGHDAD, November 4 — The Integrity Commission in Iraq revealed that it has detected cases of manipulation involving 20 payment documents for the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company in Basra, totaling 4 billion dinars from social benefits allocated to public service projects in the province.

According to a statement from the Integrity Commission:

“The investigative team from the Basra Investigation Directorate discovered manipulation in 20 payment documents with a total amount of 4 billion dinars from social benefits allocated by the company to various public service projects in the province.

The commission observed that the Basra Oil Company – Projects Authority failed to fulfill financial amounts owed to an Australian company contracted to implement an energy escalation project. This negligence and failure to follow up on the payment led to damage to public funds following the Australian company’s declaration of bankruptcy. The commission also noted the prioritization of compensation settlements for the West Qurna/1 field to use the compensated lands as oil wells. Furthermore, the company included non-agricultural and fictitious lands in the compensation.

Irregularities were detected during the distribution of housing units belonging to the South Oil Products Distribution Company. Violations of distribution instructions and regulations were recorded, as housing units were granted to the company’s director-general and a number of employees who did not deserve them. The director accommodated his son in a house he received, despite his son not being affiliated with the company.

In the General Company for Oil Products Distribution, two contracts were discovered, both signed this year, for transporting oil products for the benefit of extraction companies under “licensing tours” with a private transport company. The investigative work and auditing revealed that the General Company for Oil Products Distribution transported products to licensing companies using government vehicles without contracting with private companies.”