Baghdad court sentences man who impersonated anti-corruption official

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A criminal court in Baghdad's Karkh district has sentenced a man to prison for impersonating an employee of Iraq's Federal Integrity Commission and demanding $20,000 from a citizen in exchange for removing the citizen's company from a list of cases under investigation, the commission said. The Karkh District Criminal Court for Corruption Cases convicted the defendant under Article 312/1 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which criminalizes assuming a public office or status, the Federal Integrity Commission said in a statement. According to the commission, the defendant posed as one of its employees and told the citizen he could clear his company's name from the investigative docket. The court also granted the victim the right to seek civil compensation after the verdict becomes final. The ruling is subject to appeal under Article 182/a of the same law. The commission said it is pursuing the legal steps required to enforce the decision and follow up on the case. No further details were immediately available.