Trial of Azm leader Samarrai adjourned to late October after witnesses heard

BAGHDAD — The Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court adjourned the trial of lawmaker and Azm Alliance leader Muthanna al-Samarrai until Oct. 29 after hearing witness testimony on Monday, a judicial source told 964media.

Samarrai had asked for Monday’s hearing to be postponed, but the court refused and went ahead, recording witness statements before adjourning, the source said. The court had summoned several detained witnesses, including former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili and employees of the North Refineries Company, the Oil Training Institute and the Salah al-Din Health Directorate. The source did not say which of them testified.

Samarrai is being tried under Article 319 of the Penal Code, which covers public officials who profit directly or indirectly from works or contracts connected to their posts. The court document setting the trial date did not describe the alleged offense.

He was among 15 figures named by state media in June from what it said were 47 officials arrested in corruption cases, based on Jumaili’s confessions. After his arrest, Azm, a Sunni coalition, called for respect for judicial procedures, saying the investigation should not be prejudged or used in political or media disputes. Four other lawmakers have been jailed for seven years since mid-September in related cases.

Jumaili, who was also director general of the North Refineries Company, was arrested on May 29. Searches in June uncovered about 40 properties in Baghdad, Salah al-Din and Erbil, roughly $10 million, 3 billion dinars (about $2 million at the official rate) and 1.5 kilograms of gold jewelry, and searches through July found more cash and gold hidden underground, inside walls, in water tanks and in a rainwater drainage pit, along with commercial properties, flour mills and vehicles, some registered in other people’s names. By Aug. 16, recoveries stood at about 82 billion dinars (about $54 million) and $152 million in cash, with 484 kilograms of gold. Security sources have said Jumaili’s questioning produced more than 100 names, though not all led to warrants or proceedings.