Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity (CoI) on Thursday launched a major anti-corruption operation in Al-Diwaniyah, issuing nearly 30 arrest and search warrants for officials, employees, and contractors accused of embezzlement, bribery, and misuse of public funds.

The suspects include the current director of Al-Diwaniyah Municipality, five former directors, accounting and auditing officials, and other employees. The investigation uncovered alleged financial violations tied to public contracts and procurement, including claims that some suppliers submitted inflated invoices and documentation for projects authorities described as “fictitious.”

Authorities also seized payment records worth more than 9 billion Iraqi dinars ($6.9M), along with official stamps belonging to auditing staff. Luxury vehicles and cash were confiscated.

The Commission filed the case under Articles 315, 319, and 340 of Iraq’s Penal Code, as well as amended Resolution 160 of 1983, before referring it to specialized integrity judges.

Last week, personnel from Al-Suqoor (Falcons) Intelligence Cell, accompanied by a team from the Federal Commission of Integrity, detained three Al-Diwaniyah Municipality officials as part of an expanding investigation into an alleged forgery network accused of fraudulently obtaining land, loans, and public funds.

Read more: Iraqi authorities detain 31 in weekly corruption cases