Saudi Arabia sentences ex-Shura Council member and a former ambassador for corruption

Anti-graft body Nazaha has detained hundreds of government officials since its inception in 2011

The Kingdom Centre Tower in Riyadh, which houses the public prosecutor's office. Reuters

Saudi Arabia has sentenced to jail a former judge, who was also a Shura Council member, the kingdom’s anti-corruption body said.

The former judge was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison and fined 500,000 Saudi riyals for his involvement in a bribery case. Six others were also convicted in the same case.

In another case, a former ambassador was convicted of misusing his position for personal gain and embezzling public funds.

He was sentenced to five years in prison.

The kingdom’s oversight and anti-corruption authority, Nazaha, was established in 2011.

The kingdom has since detained hundreds of government officials and employees, including military and security officers, on charges of bribery and exploitation of public office.

“Nazaha affirms on the continuation to pursue anyone who exploits the public office to achieve personal gain or harm public interest in any way, and that criminal proceedings will continue to be taken against them for prosecution in a court of law,” the anti-corruption authority said in a Tweet.

Another former judge was convicted of misusing his position and was sentenced to four years and four months in prison.

Nazaha also said that 24 citizens were convicted in bribery cases and forgery for illegally modifying their health status to immune.

They were each sentenced up to two years in prison, along with fines ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 Saudi riyals each.