Iraqi court sentences MP over oil contracts

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court sentenced lawmaker Ziad Al-Janabi to five years in prison and ordered him to repay 4 billion Iraqi dinars ($2.63 million) obtained through contracts awarded by the North Refineries Company, the Federal Commission of Integrity (CoI) said on Thursday.

Al-Janabi exploited his parliamentary position to influence contract awards and payments to individuals and companies linked to him for personal financial gain, according to the commission, which said the court delivered the verdict in his presence under Article 319 of Iraq’s Penal Code after reviewing the evidence.

In a separate case involving the same company, the court handed the director general of the Oil Products Distribution Company an eight-year prison term and ordered him to repay 55 billion dinars ($36.18 million).

The CoI found that the official had steered 40 contracts and 29 purchase orders, collectively worth 181 billion dinars ($119.08 million), toward affiliated companies, generating 30 billion dinars ($19.74 million) in personal benefits and another 35 billion dinars ($23.03 million) for others. The verdict was also issued under Article 319.

1 US dollar = 1,520 Iraqi dinars

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