A security source in Dhi Qar reported on Tuesday evening that Nasiriyah Municipality Director Mohammed Jabbar Dhaif and his cousin had fled to an unknown location after an arrest warrant was issued against them by the province’s Integrity Investigation Court.
The source said the judicial order was issued over allegations of financial and administrative corruption, noting that the two suspects had been absent from work for several days.
Several lawmakers from Dhi Qar have reportedly threatened to raise a case over the local government’s handling of the matter, citing the absence of legal action against the municipality director so far. Administrative procedures are also reportedly being considered to end Dhaif’s assignment and return him to his original position at the Municipality of Al-Nasr District.
The development comes as authorities continue investigating allegations of manipulation and forgery involving property allocation and ownership procedures at Nasiriyah Municipality.
The Federal Integrity Commission previously announced the seizure of an original allocation document covering the transfer of ownership of 104 high-value properties, each estimated to be worth around IQD 100 million, amid alleged violations, manipulation and forgery in the procedures.
Nasiriyah’s Integrity Investigation Court had also issued arrest warrants for eight municipality employees, with the investigation later expanding to include real estate registration officials, transaction agents and other individuals linked to the case.
In a related development, a security force accompanied by an Integrity Commission team raided the home of the brother of former MP Dawood Al-Eidan and arrested him after allegedly finding land-allocation documents and checks inside the residence.
The measures coincide with Dhi Qar Governor Haitham Al-Hamdani taking over the administration of Nasiriyah Municipality and introducing administrative changes, while the local government has reiterated its support for judicial and Integrity Commission efforts to pursue corruption cases.
