Kuwait ministry refers many officials to anti-graft body for financial irregularities

KUWAIT CITY - The Ministry of Finance has referred for investigation a number ministry officials to the Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) for allegedly making amendments to the contract between the Ministry and the Touristic Enterprises Company projects in spite of the fact that the Fatwa and Legislation Department confirmed that the renewal of the contracts was not possible, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The financial sources said, this happened after the monitoring bodies detected a financial breach in the renewal of the contract and the Audit Bureau requested that some officials be referred to the Public Prosecution citing financial irregularities. Later the issue was handed over to the Anti-Corruption Authority in spite of the ministry conducting its own investigation and imposing administrative penalties on those responsible for committing the violations.

The Ministry of Finance said the Audit Bureau has recorded 10 financial irregularities against the ministry during the past three years and officials who were responsible for four of these irregularities were referred to the disciplinary court and the ministry was told to reopen the investigations of these violations.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Finance has taken many measures to enhance transparency, introduce reforms, fight corruption and address all the observations and irregularities contained in the reports of regulators.

For this purpose, the ministry has activated the decision of the Council of Ministers to establish an inspection and audit office to enable it to carry out its work in full and in addition to forming specialized committees, including the Committee to Support and Enhance Transparency and Achievement of Reforms in the Ministry.