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Jordan's ex-intelligence chief sentenced to 13 years in prison
November 11, 2012 - 16:06 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A Jordanian criminal court sentenced the kingdom's
ex-intelligence chief on Sunday, November 11 to 13 years and three
months in prison for embezzlement of public funds, money laundering
and abuse of office, AP reported.
It was the harshest sentence in years against such a high-profile
personality in Jordan.
Presiding judge Nashaat Akhras also demanded in court that defendant
Mohammed al-Dahabi pay 21 million Jordanian dinars ($29.6 million) in
fines to the state and return money he allegedly laundered and
embezzled during his 2005-2008 tenure as head of Jordanian
intelligence. The judge said the amount is estimated at 24 million
dinars ($34 million).
Al-Dahabi's lawyer Mahmoud Kilani said he will appeal the verdict.
Al-Dahabi was arrested in February, when inspectors from the Central
Bank of Jordan suspected transactions worth millions of dollars had
gone through his bank account.
The rare case against a senior official is meant to show Jordan's
seriousness in efforts to tackle graft and corruption - a demand
voiced in recent street protests.
In 2003, Jordan sentenced another ex-intelligence chief to eight years
in jail for forgery of state documents and abuse of office. Sameeh
al-Batikhi was released after serving his prison term.
November 11, 2012 - 16:06 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A Jordanian criminal court sentenced the kingdom's
ex-intelligence chief on Sunday, November 11 to 13 years and three
months in prison for embezzlement of public funds, money laundering
and abuse of office, AP reported.
It was the harshest sentence in years against such a high-profile
personality in Jordan.
Presiding judge Nashaat Akhras also demanded in court that defendant
Mohammed al-Dahabi pay 21 million Jordanian dinars ($29.6 million) in
fines to the state and return money he allegedly laundered and
embezzled during his 2005-2008 tenure as head of Jordanian
intelligence. The judge said the amount is estimated at 24 million
dinars ($34 million).
Al-Dahabi's lawyer Mahmoud Kilani said he will appeal the verdict.
Al-Dahabi was arrested in February, when inspectors from the Central
Bank of Jordan suspected transactions worth millions of dollars had
gone through his bank account.
The rare case against a senior official is meant to show Jordan's
seriousness in efforts to tackle graft and corruption - a demand
voiced in recent street protests.
In 2003, Jordan sentenced another ex-intelligence chief to eight years
in jail for forgery of state documents and abuse of office. Sameeh
al-Batikhi was released after serving his prison term.