Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, official documents disclosed that the Governor of Muthanna has been referred to the Integrity Commission due to allegations of financial corruption.
The documents, obtained by Shafaq News Agency, revealed that PM Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani, prompted by a complaint from MP Muhammad Rasool Al-Rumaithi, has directed the referral of Governor Ahmed Manfi Judah to the Integrity Commission and the Financial Supervision Bureau.
The accusations involve corruption and the manipulation of funds.
It is noteworthy that financial corruption remains a significant challenge in Iraq, with Transparency International ranking the country 154 out of 180 in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
The country also ranked fourth as the most corrupt in the Arab World after Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Libya.
Various forms of corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and influence peddling, have a detrimental impact on the Iraqi economy, leading to a lack of basic services, increased poverty, and political instability.
Key contributing factors to corruption in Iraq include the weakness of the rule of law, political corruption, sectarianism, and the aftermath of war.
After assuming his position, PM Al-Sudani pledged to "combat corruption" in the government institutions; so far, many officials have been referred to the judiciary but still, many others are protected by political and sectarian parties.
In November 2022, a major scandal involving the embezzlement of at least $2.5 billion from Iraqi state tax funds between September 2021 and August 2022 shocked Iraq.
The case, known as "the heist of the century," sparked outrage, with several high-ranking officials, including former Finance Minister Ali Allawi, under investigation for their potential involvement in the scandal.
As a result, arrest warrants have been issued for some suspects, but they have not yet been apprehended.
The funds were reportedly stolen through fraudulent transactions involving 247 cheques cashed by five companies. These companies were allegedly linked to individuals close to the former Prime Minister's office.