108 government employees detained
Saudi authorities detained 108 government employees in August as part of an ongoing Saudi Arabia corruption drive, according to the Saudi Gazette.
The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, known as Nazaha, announced the arrests as part of its latest anti-corruption operations. Some of the people detained were later released on bail.
Nazaha opened several criminal and administrative cases during August. The authority said the investigations aim to strengthen integrity across government institutions and protect public funds.
Officials carried out 2,659 oversight visits during the month. They also investigated 352 government employees over suspected corruption offences.
Officials face bribery charges
The investigations resulted in the detention of 108 employees from several government ministries.
Those ministries included the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice. Employees from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing also faced investigation.
Nazaha said the suspects faced charges including bribery and abuse of official positions.
The authority continues to conduct inspections and investigations as part of the wider Saudi Arabia corruption drive. It has targeted suspected misconduct across several areas of government.
Saudi anti-corruption campaign
Saudi Arabia launched one of its most high-profile anti-corruption campaigns in November 2017. The campaign came under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Authorities detained hundreds of prominent figures during the crackdown. The group included princes, government officials and wealthy businesspeople.
Many of those detained were held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. The campaign attracted significant international attention.
The Saudi government later said it recovered more than $106 billion, or around 400 billion riyals, through settlements. The recovered assets included cash, real estate and business holdings.
Earlier arrests
Nazaha also reported a major operation earlier in the year. The authority said it detained 130 Saudi citizens and expatriate residents over suspected corruption offences.
That operation followed inspections and investigations carried out in June. Nazaha conducted 1,585 oversight visits during that month.
The authority also investigated 385 suspects as part of its efforts to prevent corruption and safeguard public funds.
The latest arrests show that Saudi authorities continue to pursue suspected corruption across government agencies. Nazaha has said it will maintain inspections and legal action against officials suspected of violating the law.
