Saudi Arabia's Nazaha arrests 142 government officials on corruption charges

The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority said they have been released on bail

Arrested individuals worked in several ministries, including the Ministry Of The Interior. Getty Images

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, known as Nazaha, said on Monday it had arrested 142 government officials for their alleged involvement in numerous crimes.

The authorities had conducted 2,364 inspection visits in the last month. After investigations, charges were filed against 307 people and 142 arrests were made.

The arrests were made over a number of criminal and administrative cases such as corruption, bribery, abuse of influence, money laundering and forgery.

Nazaha said that the arrested officials worked in several ministries. These are the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, National Guard, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Justice, and the ministries of municipal and rural affairs and housing.

They also include officials and employees of the education, health, and environment, water and agriculture ministries, in addition to the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority and Nazaha.

The authority said that the 142 detainees have been released on bail.

Nazaha was established in 2011. The kingdom's anti-corruption watchdog provides monthly briefings about the cases it is investigating. Hundreds of top-ranking government officials and employees, including security officers, have been detained on charges of bribery and obstructing the law so far.

Nazaha has urged people to co-operate and report any violation or suspicion of financial or administrative corruption.