By SARA SAMI and MOHAMMED ASLAM
Published: 25th September 2007
MANAMA: Bahrain stepped up its war on corruption yesterday, with prosecutions against officials from three national companies. Officials from the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry), Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) and Gulf Air are facing fraud and embezzlement charges.
A senior Asry official was arrested and remanded in custody for a week yesterday, after allegedly confessing to embezzling nearly BD40,000.
He is one of two Asry officials suspended last Wednesday, following an extraordinary board meeting over investigation by an external auditor into alleged financial irregularities.
By SARA SAMI and MOHAMMED ASLAM
Published: 25th September 2007
MANAMA: Bahrain stepped up its war on corruption yesterday, with prosecutions against officials from three national companies. Officials from the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry), Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) and Gulf Air are facing fraud and embezzlement charges.
A senior Asry official was arrested and remanded in custody for a week yesterday, after allegedly confessing to embezzling nearly BD40,000.
He is one of two Asry officials suspended last Wednesday, following an extraordinary board meeting over investigation by an external auditor into alleged financial irregularities.
The Arab official was arrested on Sunday night, it was revealed yesterday.
“He was taken to the prosecution for questioning where he confessed to his charges,” said Chief Public Prosecutor Usama Al Oufi.
“He claimed that he cheated the company of BD37,433 in four years.”
The second Asry official under investigation is a Bahraini.
Another two Gulf Air employees were yesterday charged with forgery and embezzlement, making six in total.
They are among eight airline members of staff reported to the Public Prosecution by the airline last Thursday for allegedly cheating customers.
The six have denied the charges and the other two are still waiting to be questioned. The men, Bahrainis and expatriates, are said to have cheated Haj pilgrims out of BD3,785 between them last December.
They were stationed in Jeddah for Haj and allegedly overcharged customers for hotel packages, then pocketed the extra money.
A senior Alba official was further remanded in custody for 30 days yesterday, in a case allegedly involving more than $2.5 million (BD945,000) in illegal commission and discounts.
The custody of another former Alba official was also extended for the same period. Both Bahrainis were arrested on September 17, said lawyer Saeed Al Mulla, who is representing one of the employees.
He said police raided his client’s office at Alba and his house, where they seized even his children’s computers.
It is understood the charges against the men relate to $1.5m in illegal discounts and $1.2m in commission.
© Gulf Daily News
