Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Eleven expatriates of different nationalities have been arrested after being accused by the Control and Investigation Board (CIB) of bribing a government official in order to expedite the processing of their paperwork, Al-Hayat daily reported.



It is expected that the expatriate workers will appear together with the official next month before Jeddah Administrative Court.



The CIB accused the 11 expatriates of transferring money to the official’s bank account several times and paying him to expedite the processing of the papers of the company they worked for.



The board requested the court to hand down sentences in accordance with anti-bribery and anti-forgery laws.



Anti-bribery law stipulates that if a government employee requests a bribe for himself or another employee or accepts money in exchange for performing a task, he could be imprisoned for 10 years and/or fined up to SR2 million.



Anti-forgery law stipulates that if a government employee falsifies a deed or a manuscript or puts a false signature, seal, or fingerprint on an official document, he can be imprisoned for one to five years.



Several government officials have been charged with similar cases in the past and some of them have been accused of abusing their power, squandering public funds and damaging public property.