Education minister referred to criminal court over alleged misuse of public funds

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Investigative Court for Integrity Cases on Monday referred Education Minister Ibrahim Al-Namas to the Criminal Court to face trial over allegations of misusing more than 21 billion dinars (about $15 million) in public funds.

According to a court document reviewed by 964media, the referral was made under Article 340 of Iraq’s Penal Code, which penalizes actions that cause financial harm to the state. The charges stem from a contract signed by the Ministry of Education in 2023 as part of the National Urban Development Program.

Investigators alleged that Al-Namas and several ministry officials violated contracting procedures, resulting in losses estimated at 21,295,978,001 Iraqi dinars (approximately $15.2 million).

The case was reviewed by the Investigative Court for Integrity, Money Laundering, and Economic Crimes, which confirmed that the defendants’ actions had caused damage to public funds. The document was signed by Judge Firas Mahmoud Ismail on July 16, 2023, and approved by Deputy Prosecutor General Suhaib Abdul-Saadi.

The case occurred in Baghdad and has now been referred to the Criminal Court for trial scheduling.