Security authorities have obtained confessions from some officials — including top executives of the Jeddah Mayoralty and the Water and Sewage Department — that they took bribes from contractors. Acceptance of bribes is the main accusation against most of those involved.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said 302 people and 30 companies and consultancy firms are involved in the scandal; their names have been passed to investigation authorities to determine their roles and punish them accordingly.

The floods had resulted in the deaths of more than 120 people and rendered about 10,000 people homeless. Thousands of homes, buildings and vehicles were also destroyed.

The investigation authorities are to call 15 of the accused, including a water and sewage department official, within a few days to question them regarding the embezzlement of funds set aside for the Jeddah water projects. These officials are accused of paying more than SR90 million to contractors extra using their authority.

A high-ranking water and sewage official was previously detained by the investigation committee for several months for questioning but was later released on bail.

Sources also pointed out that the defendants include a Palestinian and a Jordanian who played the roles of agents in dealing with bribes paid by contractors to government officials on projects related to rains, floods, tunnels and the water and sewage department.

A source at the Jeddah court said the confessions of those involved in the Jeddah floods were endorsed about one and a half years ago by judge Hamad Al-Sawat, who has been shifted to the Appeals Court.

Most of the accused are likely to be tried at the Court of Grievances because their cases are related to administrative violations while some others will be tried at the summary court, as their crimes demand deterrent ta'azir punishments.

Legal sources said 95 percent of the trials of those named for the Jeddah deluge would be public and that the media would be allowed to attend. As the accused are not in custody, there is no need for security to protect them.

They also said that judges would have the discretion to decide whether trials should be conducted in public in light of the requests of defendants and their families.

The administrative bench at the court of grievances is to look into corruption cases while the summary and general courts is to look into cases involving people other than government employees such as businessmen and companies accused of money laundering or embezzlement and fraud.

Khaled Abu Rashed, a legal consultant, said the victims of the floods have the right to take legal action against the accused officials and businessmen after the Control & Investigation Board and the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution complete their investigations and transfer those accused to court. He said that verdicts against those responsible could include the right of victims to demand their private rights.