Courts Kingdomwide have successfully returned SR40 billion from debtors and defaulters to their eligible owners, local media said.

Since their inception a year ago, the courts have received some 11,000 “recovery rights” of funds filed by citizens and residents, Al-Madina daily said quoting a report released by the Ministry of Justice.

The courts organized more than 60 public auctions for recovery of funds claimed by potential owners after providing documents proving entitlement of the claimed funds, the report said.

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice jointly worked with certain government agencies such as the Ministry of Interior and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) to make all necessary electronic links to speed up and finalize procedures against defaulters, the report said.

If a debtor fails to implement the court’s decision within five days from the date of notification, the judge is empowered to ban him from traveling, his services and bank accounts frozen based on the electronic link between Passport Department and SAMA. His properties and movable items, such as livestock and camels, have to be seized and part of them auctioned to cover the required debts, the report said.

Meanwhile, the sequestration and implementation agency (SIA) at the Ministry of Justice have achieved big strides in the automation of works electronically for its role in facilitating and speeding up of procedures in a bid to unify regulations in the Kingdom and minimize personal interpretation of formalities, the report said.