Iraq's anti-corruption court jails lawmaker in extortion case

Iraq's Central Criminal Court for Combating Corruption hassentenced Member of Parliament Hasan Al-Khafaji (known as Hasanain) to twoyears of rigorous imprisonment after convicting him of extortion, a judicialsource told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The court found Al-Khafaji guilty under Article 452 ofIraq's Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, as amended.

A document by the Iraqi Federal Commission of Integrity saidearlier that the investigation found that Al-Khafaji had attempted to extortcomplainant Mustafa Faal Mushtat by demanding $500,000 and a 40% stake in theHawraa Baghdad residential project, to be registered in the name of an employeein his office.

According to the commission, Al-Khafaji allegedly promisedto use his influence to intervene with the Supreme Judicial Council and theFederal Commission of Integrity to close a case involving alleged illicitwealth and lift an asset freeze imposed on the complainant. “He also offered tointervene with the Baghdad Investment Commission to facilitate the resumptionof work on the Jawharat Baghdad housing project, despite having no legalauthority to do so.”

The commission added that the court based its verdict onmultiple pieces of evidence, including the confession of co-defendant AnwarSabah Abdul Sadiq, transcripts of recorded conversations, witness testimonies,and a copy of the contract presented in the case.

Al-Khafaji, a member of the Reconstruction and DevelopmentBloc led by Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, was among 47 officials arrested during thefirst phase of the Dawn Crackdown anti-corruption campaign. 

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown by numbers: 67 arrests explained ...