The defendant denied the charges against him and pleaded not guilty.

According to court sources, the charges, compiled by the Prosecution and Investigation Commission (PIC), included accepting bribes, misuse of public funds and neglecting duties of his job. They said the prosecutors also doubted the legitimacy of his current wealth.

The defendant rejected all the charges and said he never intended any wrongdoing and was responsible in fulfilling his duties.

The prosecutor general stood firm in his accusations against the defendant. He said the pieces of evidence collected so far, including the Civil Defense reports and the findings of the investigation committee on the causes of the crisis, were all incriminating him.

The prosecutor called for severe punishment against the defendant. The court recessed for deliberations before issuing its verdict.

Meanwhile, a former undersecretary of Jeddah mayor will stand before the court Tuesday to face a number of charges, including responsibility for the deaths of innocent people and causing immense damages to public property.

The former undersecretary confessed to investigators that he had made mistakes when he allowed residents to build homes in valleys blocking paths of flood water. He said there were no aerial photos clearly showing the flood paths.

The defendant will submit a written reply to the court on Tuesday.

More than 120 people were killed and many dozens were missing during the flood in Jeddah following heavy rains on Nov. 25, 2009.

A second flood that wreaked havoc occurred in January this year bringing the total death toll in the two floods to more than 140.

Many of the victims were believed to have drowned as their cars were swept away or submerged in rising waters. More than 10,785 buildings were destroyed and 10,850 vehicles wrecked, according to official statistics. The poorer neighborhoods in the south of Jeddah were particularly hard hit. Business losses were estimated at SR1 billion.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered a detailed probe into the circumstances that led to the large-scale calamities.

“Inflict the deterrent Islamic punishment on all those who are proven to be guilty or careless in this,” the king said in his order.