Corrupted Iraqi officials escape abroad

BAGHDAD, Iraq (K24) – A member of the Integrity Commission of Iraq, Huda Sajad, stated on Friday that Iraqi courts decided to arrest some of the Iraqi officials for their involvement in corruption, but many of them have already escaped abroad.

In a press statement on Friday, Sajad said that many members of the former Iraqi government cabinets accused of corruption are ordered by the Iraqi courts to be seized, but "many of them have escaped abroad with a massive amount of money."

"The integrity commission will punish the corrupted officials even if they escape abroad," she said. Sajad also mentioned that it will not be easy to punish the corrupted persons and return the wealth back to Iraq, "but the Commission will cooperate with the Interpol police."

She emphasized that the court must not free the accused unless they return the stolen money.

Talal Zawba’i, the head of the Integrity Commission of Iraq, revealed before that many officials and people close to the former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are involved in corruption in Iraq by stealing IQD 500 billion ($452 million) via fraud bank cheques.

Zawba'i also revealed the name of three banks in Iraq involved in corruption, including al-Bilad Islamic Bank, Trade Bank of Iraq, and Bank of Baghdad.

The Integrity Commission of Iraq began to critically investigate the financial sources of Iraqi officials after Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced a plan of reform in the country in both government and parliament.

The announcement of the reform plan followed after Iraq's most revered Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani showed his support and urged al-Abadi to make reforms in the Iraqi government and parliament.