(MENAFN - Jordan Times) The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has referred 41 cases of suspected financial and administrative corruption to the judiciary since the beginning of the current year, its President Samih Bino said on Monday.
Bino told The Jordan Times in an interview that part of the ACC's mandate is to send a message of assurance to local and foreign investors that Jordan observes the principles of transparency and accountability.
The ACC, he said, aims to become an advocate of an accountable and transparent government with zero tolerance for corruption.
Among the cases that have been referred to the judiciary was that of public shareholding company Beit Al Mal Saving and Investment for Housing (Baituna), Bino said.
"The ACC investigation found concrete evidence of corruption and decided to send the case to the judiciary after freezing the movable and immovable assets of the company's CEO Moawiyah Thobyan and its director general, Yousef Hiyasat," Bino said.
He said the case in its entirety is estimated to involve more than JD40 million.
"Our mission is not to spread negative propaganda; rather, our goal is to ensure the protection of state funds and investors' businesses, and to provide a healthy environment for investments where investors can be sure that their money is safe," Bino said.
The agency's chief added that the ACC has managed to enforce discipline and control when it comes to the performance of public shareholding companies.
"All cases of suspected corruption the ACC has been investigating are from previous years as no recent cases of corruption have been referred to the agency this year," Bino said.
He underlined that combating corruption is a collective effort involving the ACC and various state agencies tasked with monitoring the public sector's performance, adding that the commission will not hesitate to investigate any case referred to it provided that claims of corruption are substantiated.
He added that five cases investigated for suspected corruption were found groundless and have been closed, adding that several other cases of suspected administrative corruption were included in the general pardon.
"We do our work fearing no one, and we have the government's full support and - most importantly - His Majesty King Abdullah's support. Our slogan is that no one is immune to accountability and no one is above the law," he emphasised.
"We will implement this slogan in every case," he added.
Bino voiced hope that by relocating to its new premises, expected to open next September, the ACC will expedite its activities as the new headquarters will provide more space for representatives from public institutions to be delegated in order to save time and effort in the correspondence between all parties during the investigation of corruption cases.
