The Third Administrative Circuit at the Administrative Court has found a senior mayoralty official guilty of accepting bribes, responding to mediation and wasting public funds, as the investigation into the flood disaster case continues apace.
The official, the former director of rain projects, was sentenced to a five year jail term and a fine of $26,666, a report by Jeddah based newspaper, Saudi Gazette said.
The accused objected to the verdict, which has been considered as a preliminary, and October 14 has been set as the new date for the final verdict, as well as any appeal against it.
The official categorically denied all the charges leveled against him by the Control and Investigation Board (CIB). He added that an allegation that he had covered up a project that was not carried out at its specified location was erroneous as that project was carried out before his appointment to the rain and flood administration department. He insisted that he had written a letter in this regard to the mayoralty.
Furthermore, he maintained that a phone call between him and an engineer working for the company carrying out the draining project was simply to inquire about the reason behind the shifting of the project location.
Among the other charges the official faces is one that he received a car from a company carrying out a project for the mayoralty. The accused insisted that the car was returned to its owner after using it for two years. However, the company denied any knowledge about the car.
He added that this second company was carrying out flood drainage works worth $18.66m, but work was halted after it discovered an existing old flood drainage line.
Despite his protestations, the Prosecution General insisted that the former mayoralty official had attested his confessions and that the letter he had presented merely proved his connivance with the company.
The case continues.