Raffle fraud investigation expands, suspects summoned, escape attempts monitored
Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce is investigating a raffle fraud case, expanding the inquiry and monitoring suspects' attempts to flee abroad. Undersecretary Ziad Al-Najem resigned, citing the need for reform.
The issue of coupon raffle fraud has escalated, with investigations and inquiries underway by various relevant authorities.
Al-Rai learned that three suspects; a Ministry of Commerce employee, an Egyptian woman, and her husband have been referred to the Public Prosecution, while security authorities continue investigating the involvement of others in the case.
Informed sources told Al-Rai that the investigation is expanding and will not exclude any suspects, including employees, winners, or others. All individuals deemed necessary by the authorities will be summoned for testimony, and any attempts by suspects to flee the country will be closely monitored and prevented.
While the Ministry of Commerce completes its administrative procedures, including conducting a thorough review of raffles and winners’ names over the past years, rotating managers, canceling assignments, and providing official investigation authorities with lists of all winners multiple times, preparations are being made to summon them and hear their statements.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ziad Al-Najem, told Al-Rai that the issue of tampering with raffle coupons is not a recent development but a cumulative problem that has escalated over the years.
Al-Najem added that feeling a sense of moral responsibility, he submitted his resignation, as he cannot accept to remain in his position with this distorted image.
Moreover, Al-Najem in his resignation letter to the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Khalifa Al-Ajeel, stated that the unfortunate incident involving the manipulation of the marketing festival raffle draws has highlighted the significant reform challenges within the ministry and the urgent need to combat administrative corruption while promoting transparency and accountability.
Al-Najem said that although immediate legal action was taken against the violators, this incident with all its severity, has tarnished the image of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the eyes of the public. He emphasized that his resignation was out of a sense of leadership responsibility and in defense of the efforts of the ministry’s dedicated employees.
Furthermore, Al-Najem in his resignation highlighted that the ministry is facing a significant shortage of supervisory positions, with over 90 vacancies, and is devoid of all assistant undersecretary positions except for a few assignments, which has made their task even more challenging. However, by God’s grace, they were able to complete key projects and decisions that had a substantial impact on improving the business environment, the most recent of which was the ‘smart license’.
