Travel Ban Imposed On Ex-minister For Involvement In Financial Scam

A former senior oil official is accused of negligence in the Vietnam refinery project as stated in the report of the Ministerial Inquiry Committee, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The daily added, the Council of Ministers had formed a committee to discuss the axes of interpellation of the former Minister of Oil Bakhit Al-Rashidi and it was found that he was involved in actual financial irregularities and failure to perform his duty.

The Judicial Committee, which was also formed by the Council of Ministers to discuss the report of the Ministerial Committee, had found him guilty. The sources said that the Vietnam refinery contracted with one of the major global investigation companies, Grant Thornton, proved the involvement of the former minister in financial transgression and huge thefts worth millions of dinars. The source continued saying the former minister, after he was summoned for interrogation, tried to leave the country, but was surprised to find a travel ban had already been slapped against him.

The ministerial committee said in its report there was loss of public funds due to the delay in the Vietnam refinery project about $800 million, while the claims submitted by the contractor as a result of the delay of the project was $556 million. This was followed by two change orders in the original contract which increased the value of the contract by $63 million and $58.8 million respective. This is in addition to the fines payable for failure to complete mechanical work which was $212 million, and fine for delay to complete the initial delivery worth $225 million.

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