Iraqi court jails three officials in oil graft trial
Two lawmakers and a former energy executive face prison terms and millions in restitution for contract manipulation.
By Bianca Herrera ·
An Iraqi court ordered two senior politicians and a former energy executive to serve prison time on Thursday. The verdicts conclude a corruption probe into state oil contracts.
Muthanna al-Samarrai, who leads the Azm Alliance, received a six-year sentence. His party holds 15 seats in the 329-member parliament. Ziad al-Janabi, a lawmaker from the Tashree party, was sentenced to five years. The state-run Iraqi News Agency reported the sentences stemmed from benefits tied to the North and South Refineries Companies. These state-owned entities process crude oil and produce petroleum derivatives.
Court records indicate the officials received commissions to steer contracts toward linked firms. Al-Samarrai must repay 30 billion Iraqi dinars, roughly $19.8 million. Al-Janabi faces a restitution order of 4 billion dinars, or $2.6 million. Neither party offered immediate comment on the rulings.
Hussein Talib, the former Director General of the Oil Products Distribution Company, was also sentenced. He drew an eight-year term for intervening in contract awards for personal gain. His case was decided Wednesday, and the announcement followed on Thursday. Talib must pay back 55 billion dinars, equivalent to $36.3 million.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi pledged to fight corruption after taking office earlier this year. The current trial follows a June wave of arrests that swept up dozens of political figures. Those detainees included members of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s Shiite bloc and others from the Azm Alliance.
