Gov’t says no suspicion of corruption found in RJ’s restructuring, no shares purchased

AMMAN — The government said that there was no suspicion of corruption in the restructuring of Royal Jordanian (RJ) as claimed in “rumours” circulated on social media.

In a clarification posted on the “Haggak Tiraf” (in English “your right to know”) online platform, the government said that a five-week investigation by the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (IACC) found that the procedures applied in the restructuring of RJ by the government of former prime minister Abdullah Ensour were “all sound”.

The government said that news circulated on social media, claiming that the IACC found that Ensour had transferred JD200 million from “the people’s money” to support the shares of his friend, former Lebanese prime minister Najib Miqati, were “just rumours”.

The government said it referred a Lower House inquiry by veteran MP Abdul Karim Dughmi on the issue to the IAAC, which found that none of Miqati’s shares in RJ had been purchased; neither above nor at market value.

In December last year, Dughmi asked the government about news reports claiming that Miqati’s RJ shares were bought at a higher price than the rate listed in the financial market.

On “Haggak Tiraf”, the government said that IAAC’s investigation revealed no suspicion of corruption related to the “waste of public assets”.

Citing the IACC, the government said that the restructuring of RJ was the only “realistic resort” of Ensour’s government to save the national carrier and protect its infrastructure and assets.

The government said that Prime Minister Omar Razzaz received the IAAC’s report on January 27, and referred to the Lower House.