Iraq anti-graft body uncovers 1.7 billion dinar theft in Diyala power office

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission said it uncovered a theft and embezzlement case involving electricity materials worth more than 1 billion 744 million 600 thousand dinars at the Diyala Electricity Distribution Directorate. The commission said its Diyala investigation office carried out the operation under the direct supervision of its president, Mohammed Ali al-Lami, and took action against four senior officials. It said the suspects abused their positions to take public property and that the investigation concerned the theft of electricity materials from warehouses. According to the statement, warehouse staff confirmed that the materials in question never entered the storehouse and were not received there. The operation was carried out under a judicial order, and handover documents, delivery records and some papers were seized. A judge from the Diyala Criminal Investigation Court in Baghdad ordered the suspects detained under Article 316 of the Penal Code. The investigation is ongoing.