ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Provincial employees and officials close to Nineveh’s sacked governor embezzled nearly $64 million from funds allocated for reconstruction, Iraq’s Integrity Commission announced on April 22. The provincial council was unaware this was happening, head of the council told Rudaw.
Funds from the federal government go directly to the governorate’s offices, not the provincial council, Saydo Chato, head of the Nineveh Provincial Council, told Rudaw English on April 23. Their job is oversight over the executive, but “We aren't aware of such money,” he said.
Nineveh Governor Nawfal Hamadi was removed from his post by the Iraqi parliament on March 24. He was fired on the request of the prime minister after the deadly sinking of a ferry in Mosul on March 21. Already facing accusations of negligence, a warrant was issued for Hamadi’s arrest on charges of misusing public funds and corruption. He is believed to be currently in Erbil. He is not accused personally of involvement in the embezzlement scheme revealed on Monday.
Iraq’s Integrity Commission on April 22 released a report of its investigations into Nineveh officials. In its investigations, the commission discovered 76 billion dinars that were illegally deposited into personal accounts or kept in safes without being deposited into official accounts as is required by law.
Among the funds were five billion dinars ($4.2 million) deposited by the head of the province’s engineering unit and a female employee. The two had apparently told the bank that another eight billion dinars ($6.7 million) would be deposited soon.
The commission also tracked down 12.9 billion dinars ($10.8 million) withdrawn from funds for rural development ($37.5 million) withdrawn from a fund for regional development. Another 7.5 billion ($6.3 million) in cash was found in the possession of the head and members of the committee to assess tenders, and a total of 1.5 billion ($1.26 million) was found in the safe of the head of the engineering unit.
More money was found in the home and bank accounts of persons accused of being involved in the embezzlement scheme.
Seven people “close to runaway convict former Nineveh governor” were detained, the commission stated.
The money has been seized and deposited into a bank account, but is untouchable until “the end of investigations,” the commission stated. A number of arrest warrants and summons were issued against the sacked governor and accused associates. They are barred from travelling abroad.
The head of the provincial council wants the commission to release the money.
"Freezing money is wrong. This money was sent to serve Mosul,” Chato said. The court should investigate fraud and embezzlement, but not prevent the cash-strapped province from using the money, he argued.
"If there is such money, it is for services and projects for the area,” he said, pointing out the need for reconstruction across Nineveh after the devastating war against the Islamic State (ISIS).
The provincial council will hold a closed-door session on April 24 to discuss selecting a new governor. The nomination period is now closed, Chato said. His party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), wants a “good and uncorrupt” individual to lead the province, he added.
In January, Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi announced the formation of a council to combat rampant corruption. Iraq ranks among the most corrupt nations in the world.
On April 11, 14 officials and employees in the Nineveh governorate office were detained on charges of money laundry and wasting state funds, the Integrity Commission stated in their report.