Some of the new suspects have been occupying key positions in government offices while others are businessmen and engineers in contracting companies that undertook work for the municipality, Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday.

The cases are being examined by the Court of Grievances in Jeddah.

The charges against them include illegal trading and foul play in the implementation of projects before the floods in 2009.

It emerged corruption involving officials, contractors and real estate businessmen led to the floods having a catastrophic impact in 2009 and 2011.

The new suspects will be put on trial during the week, while the hearings of the others will be completed in upcoming weeks, according to a source.

The trial of a former municipal undersecretary is nearing completion. The former official has been specifically accused of forging reports of committees that inspected certain flood courses and wadis while he was in office 19 years ago.

Another top municipality official had allegedly approved and certified some drainage projects as completed even though the projects were incomplete. He was also accused of misuse of power, squandering public funds and forgery.