Dubai: A retired Saudi colonel from the Presidency of State Security has been arrested by officials from the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) for his involvement in a substantial bribery and corruption scheme, local media reported.
Saad Ibrahim Al Yousef was apprehended while accepting a cheque for SR30 million, which was part of a larger SR100 million bribes intended to resolve a financial and administrative corruption case involving a businessman.
The bribe was aimed at leveraging confidential information Al Yousef had access to during his previous tenure in office. He was assisted by Yemeni resident Amnah Mohammed Ali Abdullah, who falsely claimed to hold a government position and to be a member of a ruling family from a Gulf State. Abdullah also forged a letter purportedly including a royal order to further deceive the businessman.
In addition to this scheme, Al Yousef, Abdullah, Syrian resident Mohammed Saleem Atfah, and Sudanese resident Adel Najm Aldeen collected SR80 million from citizens under the pretence of investing in state projects.
They misappropriated the funds to purchase real estate both within and outside the Kingdom and acquired valuable items, which were then smuggled out of the country.
All individuals involved have been arrested, and legal proceedings are currently underway.
Nazaha has reaffirmed its commitment to combating corruption, emphasising its zero-tolerance stance towards the exploitation of public office for personal gain and its determination to uphold the integrity of public service.
