Local
Within the framework of ongoing international efforts to pursue fugitives and combat corruption, the Federal Integrity Commission announced its success in extraditing a convicted fugitive from the judicial authorities in the Lebanese Republic, due to her involvement in massive public fund embezzlement crimes amounting to nearly four billion Iraqi dinars belonging to the Wasit Health Department. The commission explained in an official statement that its recovery department undertook the preparation of the extradition file for the fugitive convict (Alya Hassouni), a former employee at the Wasit Health Department, which was officially sent via competent authorities and channels to the concerned Lebanese authorities. The data indicated that continuous monitoring and coordination efforts with various domestic and external entities ultimately led to her arrest and official handover to the Iraqi side through the Arab and International Police Directorate, known as Interpol. The commission confirmed that this successful operation came as a fruit of sustained international pursuit efforts and intensive coordination with relevant entities, foremost of which are the Arab and International Police Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, judicial authorities, particularly the Public Prosecution Apparatus, as well as the important role played by the Embassy of the Republic of Lebanon in facilitating extradition procedures. Regarding the details and circumstances of the case, documents indicate that the convict, during her tenure and employment at the Wasit Health Department, participated in embezzling an amount of two billion, eight hundred and fifty-five million, three hundred and thirteen thousand, four hundred and one dinars of the department's funds, in addition to her participation in embezzling an additional amount estimated at nine hundred and twenty-three million, seven hundred and nineteen thousand, four hundred and twenty-three dinars, bringing the total embezzled amounts to three billion, seven hundred and seventy-nine million, thirty-two thousand, eight hundred and twenty-four dinars. In the same context, the commission clarified that the Wasit Criminal Court - the First Criminal Panel had previously reviewed the case in all its details, and after examining the acquired evidence and proofs represented by the testimony of the legal representative of the Wasit Health Department, witness testimonies, administrative investigation results, and reports linked to the lawsuit, in addition to the presumption of the convict's flight, found them sufficient and convincing to convict her of the crime of complicity in embezzling public funds. It continued that the court issued an in-absentia life imprisonment sentence against the convict based on the provisions of Article (315/ Second Part) of the amended Iraqi Penal Code and in conjunction with the complicity articles (47, 48, and 49) thereof, and obligated her to pay the full amount of three billion, seven hundred and seventy-nine million, thirty-two thousand, eight hundred and twenty-four dinars to the department, in addition to granting the affected entity the full right to claim compensation after the judgment acquires final status.
