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Iraqi PM sacks trade minister wanted for corruption charges

Xinhua, December 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Wednesday sacked the trade minister who disappeared after the country's judiciary issued an arrest warrant against him over charges of corruption more than a month ago.

The prime minister decided to consider that the Trade Minister Malas Mohammed Kasnazani has resigned for not joining his work in office for more than a month, Abadi's office said in a statement.

On Oct. 18, the Central Investigation Court issued arrest warrants on the minister and his brother over financial corruption in accordance with the Iraqi Penal Code.

According to the arrest warrants, the minister Malas and his brother, who is also an official in the Trade Ministry, are both accused of offering bribes, receiving illegal benefits and misusing their power.

Kasnazani is a Kurd who has been a political ally of Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite politician.

Earlier, the judiciary system issued many warrants of arrest or summon to many senior officials, including former minister of electricity and former acting mayor of Baghdad over different graft charges.

The arrest warrants and summons were part of comprehensive reform plan pledged earlier by Abadi to combat corruption and mismanagement under the pressure of massive demonstrations by angry Iraqis in Baghdad and several other cities in the south. Endit