Funds misused

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The First High Criminal Court has sentenced the director of a social centre affiliated with the Ministry of Social Development to 15 years in prison and ordered him to repay and pay fines exceeding BD500,000, in addition to confiscating funds linked to the crimes.

He was convicted of collecting donations without a license, embezzling the collected funds, and laundering money derived from those offences.

Involvement

The court also sentenced the second defendant to one year in prison for his involvement.

According to the verdict, the court sentenced the first defendant to 10 years in prison, ordered him to return BD192,000, and fined him an equal amount for the charges related to the illegal collection and embezzlement of donations.

The court further imposed an additional five-year prison term and a BD100,000 fine, along with the confiscation of BD97,000 in connection with the money laundering offence.

Report

The case began when the Public Prosecution received a report from a government ministry following the findings of an administrative investigation committee, which uncovered suspected criminal offences committed by the director of one of its affiliated centres.

The investigation revealed that the director had collected funds for public purposes without authorization, appropriated money belonging to the centre, and conspired with another individual to forge and use private documents.

A financial audit of the centre’s operations uncovered serious financial and administrative irregularities, including the unlicensed collection of cash and in-kind donations—such as coupons and Ramadan food baskets—without notifying the ministry.

Funds

The defendant was found to have used part of the funds for personal benefit, while distributing some as loans to social cases, and spending the remainder on bonuses, gifts, and recreational events for employees and residents.

He also used portions of the illegally collected money to fund Eid meals, social programmes, and training courses, in clear violation of the ministry’s regulations governing the management of charitable contributions.