An Iraqi court today convicted former member of parliament Jamal Nasser Al-Karbouli, sentencing him to one year in prison and ordering him to repay US$4.5 million that he had received from Saudi Arabia while serving in a government-related position several years ago.

According to the reported chronology of the case:

▪️ Iraqi intelligence services received information alleging that Al-Karbouli had accepted money, vehicles and valuable gifts from Saudi Arabia while serving as an official within the Iraqi Red Crescent.

▪️ Al-Karbouli was subsequently placed under surveillance for a period of time. Investigators concluded that he used the funds to establish a political party and support his campaign for parliamentary office.

▪️ He was summoned for questioning and admitted receiving the money, but claimed that the funds had been provided by Saudi Arabia for the construction of a hospital in Iraq.

▪️ Investigators reportedly doubted the explanation but gave him the opportunity and sufficient time to carry out the hospital project he had described.

▪️ The hospital project was never completed, leading to a second round of questioning.

▪️ During the subsequent investigation, prosecutors presented evidence that the funds had allegedly been linked to activities and objectives that were not authorised under Iraqi law.

▪️ The Iraqi government requested that documents related to the case, as well as Al-Karbouli’s later statements, remain confidential in order to avoid media tensions in Iraqi-Saudi relations.

▪️ The Karkh Court approved the confidentiality request regarding the documents and statements.

▪️ The court nevertheless sentenced Al-Karbouli to one year in prison and ordered him to repay the US$4.5 million he had received, while limiting the conviction to financial corruption charges without referring to allegations relating to the implementation of Saudi political agendas inside Iraq.