TO effectively combat corruption, especially the looting of public funds, it must be waged as an all-out war. Superficial remedies alone will not dissuade offenders from committing further crimes, rendering such efforts ineffective.
Those familiar with the work of the Kuwaiti judiciary will recognize its constraints imposed by outdated and ineffective laws, which are exploited by seasoned criminals adept at exploiting legal loopholes for years.
Nevertheless, there are judges who issue deterrent judgments, marking significant milestones by establishing rules that should carry legal weight. However, to be frank, Kuwaiti law lacks the necessary amendments and modernization to keep pace with evolving circumstances.
In this regard, we can consider Italy as an example. When corruption became widespread and the looting of public funds became rampant in Italy, it worked to fortify the work of judges through a deterrent law. This approach yielded positive results in recent years in combating corruption and preventing further misuse of public resources.
Similarly, Switzerland, upon noticing its decline in the anti-corruption index, responded swiftly by developing its laws and closing loopholes, which resulted in it occupying top ranks in this regard.
As for the Gulf region, about 15 years ago, oversight agencies in Dubai discovered that some corrupt officials were profiting from public funds, and leveraging their positions for personal gain.
At that time, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid immediately ordered the judiciary to investigate the matter and impose harsh sentences on the corrupt. Since then, the Emirates have emerged as global leaders in transparency indicators.
We are all familiar with the measures taken by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under the directives of King Salman, to eradicate corruption and prevent the misappropriation of public funds. These measures included placing the accused under house arrest in the Ritz Hotel in Riyadh.
Those who cooperated with the state and returned the embezzled funds were released, while those who refused underwent public trials and were subsequently imprisoned for the crimes they committed against the state. Also, their names and charges were publicized in the media.
As a result, during that period, the government successfully recovered over USD 200 billion in tangible assets, land, money, and other resources. These funds were then reinvested into infrastructure and productive projects that aim to bolster the national economy.
In Qatar, the rulings issued against the former Minister of Finance, a member of the royal family, and other citizens served as a stern warning to anyone contemplating violations in this regard.
Due to insufficient deterrent laws in Kuwait, we keep hearing about embezzlements proven by court rulings, some exceeding KD 50 million or KD 60 million, with cases of individuals embezzling up to KD 101 million. This highlights the urgent need for laws that “have teeth and nails”.
Most of these perpetrators fled abroad, and some of them were exposed by their accomplices following disputes over dividing the spoils.
It is a known fact that some individuals have been milking the state to such an extent that it started bleeding. Despite that, they continue to walk free and evade accountability, leading to a dangerous normalization of their crimes against the state and its people.
We therefore call for the disclosure of the names of corrupt individuals and the crimes they have committed, along with efforts exerted by the government to recover stolen funds. It will undoubtedly benefit from these funds, at least in paying the fines of the debtors who have been imprisoned for issuing dud cheques worth KD 2,000 or KD 3,000, or even pump the recovered money to cover the budget deficit.
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
