Iraq: 95 property documents seized from home of former land registrar’s husband

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Federal Integrity Commission said investigators seized 95 property records, including first registrations, title deeds and external purchase contracts, during a search of the home of the husband of a female former deputy director at the Saladin Land Registry Department who is herself under investigation. In a written statement, the commission said the Saladin investigation team carried out the operation at a residence in Tikrit under a judicial order. The suspect acknowledged during questioning that roughly 27 properties had been registered in his own name, while others were registered in the names of relatives and intermediaries, concealing the fact that his wife was the actual owner, according to the statement. Along with the property documents, investigators seized land registry logbooks, 31 blank declarations bearing fingerprints, four computers including a barcode reader belonging to the Land Registry Department, cash in dinars and US dollars, gold jewelry, power of attorney documents and citizens' transaction files. The properties under investigation are located in Saladin, Baghdad and Diyala, with some registered in the names of the suspect's wife, parents and intermediaries. The husband was detained under a ruling by an anti-terrorism court judge and held in custody under Article 36 of Law No. 39 of 2015 on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism. No further details were immediately available.