Iraq's Central Criminal Court for Combating Corruption has sentenced Member of Parliament Hasan Al-Khafaji (known as Hasanain) to two years of rigorous imprisonment after convicting him of extortion, a judicial source told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The court found Al-Khafaji guilty under Article 452 of Iraq's Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, as amended.

A document by the Iraqi Federal Commission of Integrity said earlier that the investigation found that Al-Khafaji had attempted to extort complainant Mustafa Faal Mushtat by demanding $500,000 and a 40% stake in the Hawraa Baghdad residential project, to be registered in the name of an employee in his office.

According to the commission, Al-Khafaji allegedly promised to use his influence to intervene with the Supreme Judicial Council and the Federal Commission of Integrity to close a case involving alleged illicit wealth and lift an asset freeze imposed on the complainant. “He also offered to intervene with the Baghdad Investment Commission to facilitate the resumption of work on the Jawharat Baghdad housing project, despite having no legal authority to do so.”

The commission added that the court based its verdict on multiple pieces of evidence, including the confession of co-defendant Anwar Sabah Abdul Sadiq, transcripts of recorded conversations, witness testimonies, and a copy of the contract presented in the case.

Al-Khafaji, a member of the Reconstruction and Development Bloc led by Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, was among 47 officials arrested during the first phase of the Dawn Crackdown anti-corruption campaign. 

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown by numbers: 67 arrests explained