Director of Security Media Department Brigadier Adel Al-Hashash

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 22: The Public Prosecution in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior has taken first steps to recover millions of dinars from the defendants in the money spending case of the so-called ‘Interior Ministry’s Hospitality’ department, reports Al-Rai daily.The daily quoting security sources said the Criminal Investigations Department has already taken into custody Brigadier Adel Al-Hashash upon orders from the Attorney-General.According to sources Al-Hashash will be referred to the Public Prosecution once interrogations with him are complete. He was taken into custody while visiting the house of a relative.The sources pointed out there are other suspects who have been detained, including employees of the Ministry of Interior and two officials from the Ministry of Finance.The sources said the case was referred to the Public Prosecution last March and a number of suspects were summoned and their statements were recorded.The sources pointed out the Money Crimes Department of the Ministry of Interior have over the past months has been continuously gathering information upon orders from the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah and the Undersecretary of the Ministry, Issam Al- Nham and the Public Prosecution to investigate a number of files and records of persons named in the case.The sources added, the Department has until now tracked these files and conducted inquiries and investigations with various parties and persons directly involved in the case, irrespective whether they are government employees or otherwise.The sources revealed the Money Crimes management has succeeded in identifying millions of dinars and real estate registered in the names of involved persons in the case, and their accounts and properties have been frozen upon orders of the Public Prosecution, considering it as the first step to recover public funds in this case.The source said the Public Prosecution has received a comprehensive report about facts and findings, accompanied by documents and invoices showing manipulation and involvement of a number of suspects in the transgression on public money in millions of dinars.The sources also pointed out that among the detainees besides Al-Hashash, is a female employee working for the Hospitality Department in the Ministry of Finance, and a number of expatriate employees in the Ministry of Interior, while pursuing and monitoring a fugitive military man whose account is full of suspicious money and ownership of real estate in a foreign country.The sources revealed one of the defendants has about 17 million dinars in his account and more than 10 million dinars each in the accounts of others