Witness denies BD16,000 bribe allegation in BD60 million corruption case

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The ongoing trial of a Jaffaria Waqf employee experienced a mild drama when one of the witnesses denied claims that a businesswoman paid a BD16,000 bribe to alter a land plot classification.

Contrary to the expectation that the witness would confirm the bribe claims, the witness caused a stir in the courtroom by saying that the second defendant, a businesswoman, didn’t pay money to change the classification of the land plot.

Defence witnesses took the stand to testify in the case of an employee of the Jaffaria Waqf Directorate accused of wasting money worth a whopping BD60m in addition to receiving a bribe worth BD16,000.

Court files say the businesswoman confessed to officials of Jaffaria Waqf Directorate that man took the money but failed to honour his commitment, which also prompted the woman to reveal the deal. The first defendant was a director at the Directorate’s land classification department.

She claims that the defendant requested her to issue a BD16,000 cheque without writing a name on the receipt. Ensuing investigation also resulted in exposing the suspect’s role in wasting BD60 million government funds.

Investigators found that the money went to the account of the suspect’s wife. Police also charged the businesswoman in connection with the case.