SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdistan Region’s Judicial Council has decided to establish a criminal court to conduct probes into corruption cases, the commission of integrity said on Monday.
The Region’s Commission of Integrity said the judicial council had decided to establish Combating Corruption Criminal Court at the request of the commission.
“The court will be specialized in seeing cases of corruption,” the commission said in a statement.
“We think it will have a positive step for countering corruption and accelerating the settlement of cases in court,” it added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has long promised action to combat corruption, of which some lawmakers and organizations accuse officials, especially with regard to exportation of oil incomes.
Iraq, including the Kurdistan, is perceived as the 16th most corrupt country in the world according to Transparency International, with some $450 billion in public funds vanishing into the pockets of shady politicians and businessmen since 2004, AFP reported.
