(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Prosecutor General Mohammed Sourani summoned on Wednesday former prime minister Marouf Bakhit as part of the ongoing investigation over suspected corruption case dubbed "casino file".
"Bakhit stood before Sourani as a witness only," according to a judicial source.
He gave his testimony in connection to the case yesterday, after Sourani previously summoned several other senior officials to testify in the same case.
The case is related to a multimillion deal signed by the first government of Bakhit with a British (originally Iraqi) investor in 2007 to build and operate a casino on the shores of the Dead Sea, which was scrapped later by the government of former premier Nader Dahabi, with the country reportedly paying a heavy price in a compromise deal with the investor.
Bakhit last year survived an impeachment motion in Parliament, while several top officials were indicted by lawmakers after a House committee probed alleged corruption in the case.
By Wednesday, prosecutors had listened to 54 witnesses out of 64 senior officials involved in the negotiations with the investor and worked out the legislative procedures to pass the deal, the source added.
Last year, Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh referred some of the members of the National Tourism Council, whose members are ministers and senior officials from various public agencies and representatives of the private sector to the attorney general for necessary legal procedures in connection with the casino case.
The alleged violations included "abuse of public office" after they reportedly signed a council decision that labels casino business as a legitimate tourism activity in accordance with the Tourism Law.
The House impeached former tourism minister, Osama Dabbas, and several other senior officials in the case, before it was referred to the attorney general's office.
In addition to Bakhit, former premiers Dahabi and Samir Rifai and former Royal Court chief Bassem Awadallah were summoned by the attorney's office.
In a related development, an ad hoc committee was formed to investigate the Socio-Economic Transformation Plan (SETP) upon a recommendation from Parliament, Audit Bureau President Mustafa Barari announced on Wednesday.
He added that the bureau will issue a report on the programme in the upcoming weeks outlining whether it has achieved its objectives, adding that the bureau will also check the money disbursed under the programme and their efficiency in reaching its goals.
Barari stressed that the committee will also be responsible for checking the funding resources of the SETP, whether from the budget or foreign assistance, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
The controversial programme was launched in November 2001 upon Royal directives with the goal of accelerating the pace of social and economic reforms and raising the quality of citizens' living standards.
