Iraqi politicians sentenced in refinery graft case
Two Sunni lawmakers and an oil distribution chief face years in prison and orders to repay hundreds of millions of dollars.
By Emily Brooks ·
Iraqi political figures face new prison terms as courts move to penalize alleged misuse of state oil contracts. Officials announced on Thursday that a Baghdad court had handed down sentences to two senior politicians and a former state enterprise head.
Muthanna al-Samarrai, who leads the Azm Alliance, received a six-year prison term. His party holds 15 of the 329 seats in Iraq's parliament. The court also sentenced Ziad al-Janabi, a lawmaker from the Tashree party, to five years. Both men are associated with Sunni political groups. The state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that the sentences stemmed from contracts involving the North and South Refineries Companies.
These state-owned entities process crude oil and produce petroleum derivatives. Prosecutors alleged that the lawmakers received commissions for facilitating contract awards to linked companies. Al-Samarrai was ordered to repay 30 billion Iraqi dinars, equivalent to $19.8 million. Al-Janabi faces a repayment order of 4 billion dinars, or $2.6 million. Their respective parties did not provide immediate comments on the rulings.
Hussein Talib, the former director general of the Oil Products Distribution Company, received an eight-year sentence in a related case. The court issued the verdict on Wednesday, but it was publicly announced on Thursday. Talib was accused of intervening in contract awards for personal benefit. He was ordered to repay 55 billion dinars, totaling $36.3 million. These financial penalties reflect the scale of the alleged financial diversion from state resources.
The rulings align with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's stated goal of combating corruption since assuming office earlier this year. In June, authorities arrested dozens of political officials on similar charges. Those arrests included members from former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's Shiite bloc and others from the Azm Alliance. The recent sentences continue this wave of legal actions against figures from multiple political factions.
On the same day, an Iraqi criminal court sentenced three French nationals to life in prison. The convictions were based on terrorism charges related to their membership in the Islamic State group. Seven other French citizens received similar sentences on Tuesday. These defendants were part of a group of 47 French citizens accused of IS ties. They had been held in Syria before being transferred to Iraq for prosecution last year.
