Arrest Warrants Issued for Noor Zuhair and Haitham Al-Jubouri

 

 

 
Baghdad – INA
 
The Anti-Corruption Criminal Court has formally issued arrest warrants today against Noor Zuhair and Haitham Al-Jubouri, who stand accused of embezzling significant tax deposits.
 
A judicial source disclosed to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the Anti-Corruption Criminal Court has mandated the immediate arrest of Noor Zuhair and Haitham Al-Jubouri on charges related to the theft of tax trust funds."
 
Earlier statements from Commissioner of Federal Commission of Integrity FCOI, Judge Haider Hanoun, revealed that Noor Zuhair, along with 30 additional defendants, will soon be brought to trial.
 
Judge Diaa Jaafar of the Karkh Investigative Court, specializing in integrity cases, told INA that "the decision to release Noor Zuhair on bail, who is implicated in the embezzlement of tax deposits, was made in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This followed his commitment to return the amounts owed by his companies and to finalize a financial settlement exceeding 1.6 trillion dinars within a set timeframe."
 Jaafar firmly denied allegations that the release was intended to facilitate the sale of seized properties, asserting that "all properties remain under judicial seizure until the conclusion of the investigation."
 
Judge Jaafar further confirmed that "Noor Zuhair will be referred to the competent court for formal prosecution upon the complete restitution of the embezzled funds," emphasizing that repayment of the stolen funds may be considered a mitigating factor in the legal proceedings.
 
He explained that "the court accepted the proposed financial settlement due to the absence of any legal barriers, and because recovering the stolen funds post-conviction would entail prolonged enforcement procedures, including the auctioning of seized properties."
Jaafar added that "given Noor Zuhair’s extensive real estate and investment holdings, which exceed the total value of the stolen tax deposits, the likelihood of him fleeing the country after being granted bail is remote. His assets, which remain under court seizure, provide the state with ample security for potential confiscation."
 
Jaafar urged all companies accused of embezzling trust funds to take action to return the stolen amounts, emphasizing that returning the funds will undoubtedly lead to the application of mitigating circumstances in the sentencing of those companies.
 
He explained that the judiciary and law enforcement agencies are serious about pursuing all the accused companies, noting that investigations have already identified one such company and its responsible parties. The pursuit of the embezzled funds, which were moved out of the country by these companies, is ongoing.