Saudi Arabia arrests princes, ex-ministers in anti-corruption drive

Gulf News -- Saudi authorities have arrested a number of princes and former ministers on corruption charges, a Saudi broadcaster said on Saturday.

The arrests came hours after King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz established an anti corruption committee, headed by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. 

“Ten princes and dozens of former ministers have been arrested on corruption charges,” Al Arabiya TV said quoting unnamed sources in Riyadh. 

Earlier the king issued a Royal Decree forming a supreme committee headed by the Crown Prince to fight corruption in public finance.

The members of the supreme committee will be the Chairman of the Monitoring and Investigation Commission, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Authority, Chief of the General Audit Bureau, Attorney General and Head of State Security.
 
“The Committee will identify offenses, crimes, persons and entities involved in cases of public corruption. It will investigate, issue arrest warrants, impose travel ban, disclose and freeze accounts and portfolios, track funds, assets and prevent their remittance or transfer by persons and entities,” the decree said.