On Monday, Iraqi security forces arrested a businessman accused of being involved in the case of the “theft” of $ 2.5 billion in tax funds while trying to leave the country.
And Iraqi Interior Minister Othman Al-Ghanimi confirmed Monday that a special force was directed to arrest the accused, Nour Zuhair Jassim, at Baghdad airport before attempting to escape.
Al-Ghanimi said: “Iraq is a trust in our neck and we will not allow your money to be stolen or to be pleased with anything that affects your security, and as a result we have directed a special force of the Ministry of Interior for the ‘arrest (Noor Zuhair Jassim) at Baghdad International Airport while trying to leave the country with a private plane “, according to”self conscious”.
The moment of the arrest of Nour Zuhair Jassim … pic.twitter.com/MBduZHKrpc
– sh.j.Al-adhami Shamil Al-Azami 🇮🇶 (@sh_b_j_a) October 24, 2022
Activists circulated photos and videos on social media, monitoring the moment of the arrest of the accused, also known as “Noor Al-Mudhaffar”, at Baghdad airport, before attempting to flee the country.
💥 Director of the Haitham Al-Jubouri office, the thief, Noor Zuhair Al-Mudhaffar, after his arrest by the security forces on suspicion of involvement in the theft of 3 trillion dinars !!
Look, how are you, and you are in control 🤔 pic.twitter.com/WbCNMfwQNW– Abdul Hamid Al-Ani 🇮🇶 (@hamid_alani) October 24, 2022
Major corruption case
in declaration On Monday, the Federal Integrity Commission in Iraq announced the execution of the arrest warrant issued against the main defendants in the case of tax deposits filed with the branches of Rafidain Bank.
This happened after the release of Iraqi judiciary Arrest and travel ban orders issued against defendants in the case of tax trusts, including the defendant, Noor Zuhair Jassim.
Hours before the arrest of the accused, Iraqi MP Mustafa Jabbar Sanad said in a tweet via his account on the “Twitter” website that the accused will depart from Baghdad Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport between one hour private plane “.
The first accused of collecting tax deposits, named (Noor Zuhair Jassim), will leave Baghdad Airport for Istanbul Ataturk Airport in an hour, i.e. at 6:30 pm right at the time of take-off, and on a plane private type GLEX, registration of the aircraft T7MBH.
A copy of it to ……. People of honor in my country
– Mustafa Jabbar Sanad (@m_j_sanad) October 24, 2022
The judiciary had already heard the statements of some officials of the Inland Revenue on this issue, and has also issued arrest warrants against the owners of companies accused of withdrawing funds, according to “AFP”.
The Federal Integrity Commission carried out the transaction according to a judicial brief issued by the Court of Appeal of Baghdad Al-Karkh (the second Court of Karkh), against the CEO of the (Al-Mabdoon) Company for Oil Services Ltd. , one of the defendants in the case of the amounts of tax deposits deposited in the branches of Al-Rafidain Bank, “according to a statement by the authority published by the news agency. Iraq”.self conscious“.
An official letter issued by the tax authority revealed that $ 2.5 billion was withdrawn between September 2021 and August 2022 by the Rafidain State Bank, through 247 financial instruments, issued to five companies, which disbursed it directly in cash, according to “AFP”.
The arrest was carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article (444/11) of the Criminal Code, and under the supervision, coordination and collaboration with the Judicial Authority and the Ministry of the Interior represented at the Residences Department and Passports from Baghdad International Airport while the accused tried to flee Iraq, “according to the statement.
There is talk of political pressure and internal denials
After the arrest of the accused, some activists spoke on Twitter about some political parties and parties that pressured the security authorities to release Nour Zuhair Jassem.
The Brigades and Asa’ib do not interfere in the case of Nour al-Mudhaffar, as you did in the case of the criminal who killed the martyr Hisham al-Hashemi.
– The opposition Roy Al-Qaisi (@Roa_alqays) October 24, 2022
The Iraqi Interior Ministry denied the matter, noting that there was no pressure, “not from the government, the party or political agencies”.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry indicated that “the arrest was carried out without the slightest hesitation and was not tolerated,” according to a published statement.self conscious“.
Iraq ranks 157 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s “corruption perception” index, and prosecutions in corruption cases, if they occur, often target officials in secondary positions.
United Nations envoy to Iraq, Jenin Plaschaert, said in early October that rampant corruption is a major cause of dysfunction in Iraq, adding: “Frankly, no leader can claim to be protected from it,” he said. “AFP.”
