Investigators question dozens of witnesses, examine scores of documents

KUWAIT: The public prosecution has completed cross-examinations in a libel suit presented by the interior ministry dealing with "seizing and facilitating the seizure of public funds" in one of its departments. The prosecution declared that it has referred the case to the chief judge of the court of appeal to set a hearing by the criminal court.

The prosecution said in a press release yesterday that it had ended the probe and handling of the case based on a notification by the interior ministry, charging personnel and officials with seizing public funds and facilitating embezzlement of these funds, in light of a report by the Audit Bureau about financial irregularities in the guests' accommodation category of the ministry's budget during 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.

Public Prosecutor Dherar Al-Asousi had tasked a team of investigators from the department of public finances, headed by a public attorney, to look into the case. The panel questioned more than 40 witnesses, including the chief and members of a panel that had been formed by the interior minister for this case.

The investigators examined tens of thousands of documents, solicited specialists' expertise from the Audit Bureau, the Central Bank of Kuwait and commercial banks. The prosecution had issued prison warrants against nine of the indicted persons pending the conclusion of investigations. The prosecution has indicted 24 persons, including eight who remain at large. They are accused of embezzling public funds, facilitating misappropriation of funds, engaging in money laundering, counterfeiting official documents and being gravely negligent, thus leading to squandering of funds. - KUNA