SAI Addresses 115 Cases of Misuse of Public Funds in 2023
The State Audit Institution (SAI) recently announced that it addressed 115 cases of misuse of public funds in 2023, resulting in convictions ranging from one month to ten years, with fines reaching up to RO63,000. The violations included bribery, forgery, embezzlement, abuse of office, and conflict of interest. Out of these cases, 28 were referred to the Public Prosecution, while 22 are currently under investigation.
SAI received a total of 951 complaints, with 87% of them being resolved. These complaints covered various financial and administrative violations, employee grievances, and abuse of authority cases. Inspections conducted by SAI in 2023 led to the recovery of approximately RO177.7mn for the public treasury, including RO95mn collected in 2023 and RO82.7mn in 2022.
Efforts were made to enhance transparency and accountability across government units, investments, and supervised companies. A total of 187 inspections were conducted, resulting in 185 reports with over 2,600 observations. Key areas of inspection included tax collection, corporate income tax, and social housing projects.
SAI’s Deputy Chairman, Ahmed bin Salem al Rujaibi, emphasized the importance of the institution’s role in promoting integrity and transparency. Through media outreach, seminars, and community programs, SAI continues its mission to protect public funds and ensure accountability.