Jordan’s military court has banned all reporting on a case of alleged corruption in the country’s only oil refinery, Petra news agency has said.
A statement from the state-run agency revealed: “State security court attorney general Yousef Faouri issued a decision on Tuesday banning the media from publishing news or commentaries about the refinery issue without his personal approval.”
The case involves alleged graft payments which occurred as part of US$2.1billion project to upgrade the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company.
Former finance minister and refinery management committee chairman Adel Kudah was arrested on Wednesday as was the refinery’s former executive director Ahmed Rifai. Prominent businessmen Khaled Shahin and former economic adviser in the prime minister’s office, Mohammed Rawashdeh, were also detained.
The group face up to five years in jail of convicted. Petra reported they have been accused of “taking bribes and failing in their duties”.
Jordan has made battling corruption a major priority under its new government.
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