Kuwait tribunal closes inquiry into graft case of former PM

KUWAIT CITY // A special tribunal decided yesterday to end its inquiry into graft allegations against the former prime minister citing a lack of evidence.

"I was notified this morning by the ministers' trial court that it closed its investigation into the case," said Nawaf Al Fuzai, the lawyer who filed the complaint several weeks ago.

The tribunal was investigating allegations that Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah transferred millions of dinars of public money into his bank accounts overseas.

The tribunal's finding that there was insufficient evidence to press charges against Sheikh Nasser, a member of the ruling Al Sabah family, does not end the inquiries into his financial affairs.

The graft allegations are still being investigated by a parliamentary commission formed in March and the Audit Bureau, the state accounting watchdog.

The head of the parliamentary panel, the opposition MP Faisal Al Muslim, said yesterday that his committee found about US$313 million (Dh1.15 billion) had been transferred by Sheikh Nasser when he was premier.

He said evidence showed "part of the money was not used in the public interest".

Kuwaiti media reported last week that the former premier had told the tribunal that "all the transfers were in the service of the interests of Kuwait and contained no personal benefit".