Ex-trade minister released on bail

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi ex-trade minister, Abdulfalah al-Sudani, has been released on bail of 50 million Iraqi dinars (ID), pending his case being heard by the Criminal Court, an investigating judge in Samawa city said on Sunday. “The release on bail has been approved by three out of five judges..,” Abdulamir al-Shamri told IraqiNews.com news agency. “Other ministry personnel are still being held by the security forces,” he added. Last week, the court refused to release on bail the retired minister and a number of his ministry’s staff, who have been arrested to answer accusations of administrative and financial corruption. Sudani is accused of squandering public money and mismanaging his ministry by importing expired foodstuffs. On May 31, Sudani, a 62-year-old dual British Iraqi national, was put in the Samawa Central Prison after he had been brought from Baghdad under police escort. A source from Baghdad International Airport said that Sudani was arrested upon his arrival at the airport after his plane had been ordered to turn around. On its way to the United Arab Emirates, a plane carrying the minister has been returned to Baghdad less than one and a half hours after taking off from the airport. A few days ago, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki accepted Sudani’s resignation, which was tendered on May 14. Sudani was questioned by the Parliament for two days on charges of “administrative and financial corruption.” SS (S)/SR 1