Iraqi court issues arrest warrants for eight Nasiriyah municipality officials

NASIRIYAH, Iraq — A Nasiriyah investigation court handling corruption cases has issued arrest warrants for eight municipal employees, including senior officials, according to local security sources. The warrants cover the former mayor, Kahtan Adnan, along with the former director of real estate, the urban planning director and the secretary of the land distribution commission, the sources said. The order was issued under Article 341 of the amended Iraqi Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, which provides for up to three years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 300 dinars for officials who commit gross negligence, abuse their authority or seriously breach their duties while in office. The court ruled the warrants were needed to proceed with the prosecution of the officials as part of an ongoing corruption investigation. Security sources said authorities continue to review the case file and that no further details were immediately available.