Iraq's justice minister has been summoned to court for obstructing a corruption investigation after refusing to hand over documents, the Anti-Corruption Authority said in a statement on Wednesday (January 4th).
The government body opened an investigation in early December after “
reports
” of “
suspicions of corruption
” concerning meals served in prison, with “
poor quality food
” and insufficient quantities delivered despite payments being made, according to reports. official press releases.
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In the context of this case, the Minister of Justice Khaled Chouani and a senior official of his ministry are the subject of a summons by a court specializing in corruption "
for having refused to provide documents
" requested by the Anti-Corruption Authority, announced this body.
The head of the Authority, Judge Haider Hanoun, accused the minister on Tuesday of "
using his power to hinder the work
" of the investigators, assuring that the documents in question "
incriminated suspects
".
"Protect detainees from extortion"
The same day, following a prison inspection, Khaled Chouani acknowledged problems in the supply of meals and recalled that he had formed a committee to "
monitor these distributions and prevent any suspicion of corruption in the purchase and distribution
" of foodstuffs.
He assured that he wanted to "
protect detainees from any extortion
", by prohibiting the sale to prisoners of foodstuffs which they are supposed to obtain free of charge.
He pointed to reports accusing "
companies responsible for supplying prisons of not delivering all
" of the planned food, despite bills being paid.
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The corruption that plagues Iraq has infiltrated all state institutions.
If the convictions exist, they often target the intermediate levels of the State or simple executors, rarely the top of the pyramid.
The government of Mohamed Chia al-Soudani regularly insists that the fight against corruption and the protection of public money are its priorities, multiplying announcements and initiatives for this.
The country has been rocked in recent months by yet another corruption scandal, with the theft of 2.5 billion dollars embezzled from a tax bank account.
“
Pervasive and systemic corruption is one of the greatest challenges facing Iraq
,” castigated the UN envoy to Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, in early December.
The scourge "
discourages international investors and deprives the state of the resources needed to provide the population with better schools, hospitals, roads, and countless other public services
".
