Iraqi court closes corruption case against Speaker

12/08/2016
Corruption case against Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri by Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi has been turned downed down by the court, citing lack of evidence.
Last week, at Iraqi parliament, Obeidi accused Jabouri and five other MPs of lobbying for businesses seeking contracts to sell overpriced planes, vehicles and other goods to the armed forces. He also accused them of blackmailing him. However, all accusations are denied by the court.
The spokesman, Judge Abdul Sattar al-Bayraqdar, told that lack of evidence is the major reason. A travel ban imposed on Jabouri because of the accusations was lifted on Tuesday, the speaker's spokesman, Imad al-Khafaji, said.
Obeidi made the accusations while appearing before parliament on Aug. 1 to respond to separate corruption allegations at his ministry. He called his summons to address MPs a "conspiracy by the corrupt."
The Defense Ministry has been accused by lawmakers of wasting billions of dollars in public funds and weakening the armed forces to the point where they collapsed in 2014 in the face of the threat from Islamic State militants, under the previous government, led by Nuri al-Maliki.
Islamic State captured one third of Iraq, but Iraqi forces have successfully regained their territory partially with support from US-led coalition. The armed forces are preparing to try to recapture Mosul, Islamic State's capital in Iraq.
Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi has made the fight against corruption a priority but his efforts have been met with resistance and caused major disruption to Iraqi politics. Iraq ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency International's Corruption Index.
Last Update:: 12/08/2016
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