(MENAFN - Arab Times) The parliamentary committee tasked to investigate the multimillion deposit scam has given the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) officials a grace period of one week to respond to its queries; otherwise, it will be compelled to send some of its members to the bank, says Committee Chairman MP Musall-am Al-Barrak.
Al-Barrak made the statement Saturday after a lengthy meeting between the panel and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Qabas daily Waleed Al-Nasf, officials from the Ministry of Interior and the financial control officials at the Central Bank.
Asked if the former prime minister will be held responsible, Al-Barrak pointed out it is too early to say because the panel has yet to complete investigations on the case. He disclosed the committee met Al-Nasf because Al-Qabas daily was the first among the local newspapers to do an expos on the scam, in which some lawmakers have been implicated. He affirmed Al-Nasf responded adequately to the queries of the panel and they have agreed to meet again if the need arises.
Al-Barrak said the panel also met the CBK representatives but their response was short and unclear. He disclosed the bank officials demanded for more time to clarify certain issues. He added the panel asked one of the officials, Hana Al-Razouki, who is in charge of the withdrawals of institutions, ministries and Diwan of the Prime Minister to provide details of the withdrawals and the dates the transactions were processed, as well as the remittances to lawmakers starting from 2009 until December 2011.
Indicating the committee will summon the Central Bank governor and other officials in charge of deposits from the Banks Union, CBK and certain ministries monitoring the real estate properties of lawmakers, Al-Barrak clarified they have to take this step because the issue is not limited to deposits. He said the case is also about the ownership of private, investment and commercial properties, in addition to portfolios or money exchange bureaus.
Al-Barrak added the committee also demanded information on the deposits, withdrawals and money transfers of the wives and children of lawmakers or any of their relatives. He affirmed the officials in charge of foreign currencies will also be summoned for questioning later to determine if the money transfer transactions in the premier's office went to the accounts of lawmakers in other countries. He said the committee will meet again on Wednesday to continue deliberations on the case.
