The Saudi Ministry of Interior announced, on Friday, the issuance of a final ruling convicting Lieutenant General Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, former Director of Public Security, of the crimes of bribery, forgery and influence-peddling attributed to him, punishing him with twenty years in prison, fining him one million riyals, confiscating the bribe amounts, and obliging him to Refunding the embezzled amounts.

The Ministry referred, in a statement, to the royal order terminating the service of the former Director of Public Security, referring him to retirement, and investigating him for numerous violations and transgressions, with the aim of seizing public money and personal benefit, and charging him with committing a number of crimes, including: forgery. Bribery and abuse of influence, adding that the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority has initiated investigation procedures against him and referred him to the competent court, in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure.

It was revealed that a final ruling had been issued against him, ruling that he be found guilty of the crimes of bribery and forgery attributed to him, and that he be punished for all of that by imprisonment for a period of 10 years, and a fine of one million riyals to be deposited in the state’s general treasury, indicating that he was also convicted of crimes of exploiting “the influence of the position for the benefit of the government.” "personal", "government contracts", and "embezzlement of public funds", and he was punished with imprisonment for 10 years, confiscating the bribe amounts he received amounting to 10 million and 84 thousand and 303 riyals, and depositing them in the treasury.

He was also obligated to return the embezzled amounts, totaling two million and 827 thousand riyals, to the treasury, and confiscate gifts in kind or (the equivalent of their value), and financial aid that was provided to his relatives as a bribe, amounting to 175 thousand riyals, and deposit them in the treasury, and two agricultural lands obtained from him. The crime, and obliging him to return the amount of 584 thousand riyals to the treasury that he obtained from it.

The Ministry affirmed the Saudi government’s keenness to protect public funds and combat corruption in all its forms and manifestations, and to fortify society against those who violate it or exploit the position to achieve their personal interest or harm the public interest, and to implement what the regulations require against transgressors, whoever they may be.