71 referred to court over 8.66m dinars agricultural holdings corruption case
- Public Prosecution has referred 71 accused, including public employees and private companies, to the Criminal Court over alleged corruption involving agricultural holdings and plots, with funds and benefits totaling 8.66 million dinars.
The Public Prosecution has referred 71 accused, including public employees and individuals linked to private companies, to the Criminal Court over alleged corruption involving procedures and documents related to agricultural holdings and plots belonging to the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources.
The prosecution said the case involved funds and benefits totaling 8.662 million dinars, arising from the alleged trading of rights to benefit from state-owned properties.
According to a statement issued Monday, the accused include public employees, some of whom held leadership and supervisory positions, employees of other government entities, and 28 legal persons from private commercial companies.
The investigation, registered as Case No. 153 of 2026 and as a money-laundering case under No. 16 of 2026 at the Criminal Investigation Department, followed information received by the Public Prosecution and subsequent investigations into alleged manipulation of procedures governing agricultural holdings and plots.
The prosecution said the investigation concluded that the defendants, according to their respective roles, were allegedly involved in bribery, intentional damage to public funds through breaches of official duties, forgery and use of official documents, participation by agreement and assistance, money laundering and illicit enrichment, in addition to related offenses.
It alleged that procedures intended to protect rights were manipulated to undermine them, while official powers were used for purposes other than those for which they were granted.
The prosecution said the case was supported by specialized technical reports from the Public Authority for Combating Corruption (Nazaha) and the Kuwaiti Financial Intelligence Unit. The reports, it said, traced the movement and destination of funds and examined their links to public office and alleged illicit gains.
After completing its investigations, reviewing the evidence and determining the alleged responsibilities of those involved, the Public Prosecution said it found sufficient evidence to refer all 71 defendants to the Criminal Court for trial in accordance with the law.
The prosecution stressed that public office is a trust and that authority carries responsibility, while public funds must be protected. It said those who use public positions for personal gain or misuse their powers will be held accountable under the law. The allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings before the Criminal Court.
