Saudi Arabia: AlUla appoints Abeer AlAkel as new CEO following Al Madani's arrest
Ex-CEO Al Madani allegedly got contracts for a separate company, which he has stake in
Dubai: Abeer AlAkel was appointed the new CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla following the arrest of Amr Al Madani on allegations of money laundering.
AlAkel will work closely with local and international experts in archaeology, heritage conservation and preservation, architecture and master planning to deliver an environmentally sensitive transformation of AlUla, according to the company’s website.
Al Madani was arrested for allegedly obtaining contracts for a separate private company, which he has ownership in, putting the value of the contracts at around SR207m (Dh202 million,) the official anti-corruption authority said in a statement on Monday.
The contracts relate to the Kingdom Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, the statement said, while also noting that Al Madani also recommended that private company for additional contracts through his work on the commission for AlUla.
Al Madani also recommended the deal to the responsible departments of the Royal Commission and that enabled it to obtain projects worth SR1.2 million so that he can obtain personal benefits from companies contracting with the commission, and to receive profits from those projects through one of his relatives.
His relative Mohammad Bin Sulaiman Al Harbi, a Saudi citizen, was also arrested. Al Harbi admitted that he received money from the company and its owners and transferring it to Al Madani.
The partners of the company, Saudi citizens Saeed Bin Atef Ahmad Saeed and Jamal Bin Khalid Abdullah Al Dabal, were also arrested because of their clandestine understanding and agreement with the CEO over the misuse of power and money laundering charges.