The two defendants have reportedly acknowledged their negligence in supervising project sites and shifting some drainage projects from one place to another without official permission, altering natural rainwater courses, and reducing the amount of asphalt used in construction work.
The senior official accused the second defendant, an adviser and engineer working in the water and flood projects department, of misleading him.
The prosecutor has charged the first defendant of shifting a rainwater drainage pipeline project in Rawabi to another place in Old Makkah Road.
He allegedly shifted the project without receiving any official permission and on the basis of a telephone conversation between him and the second defendant. He said he signed the papers and approved payment for the project based on the recommendations made by his adviser.
The defendant denied any knowledge of another rainwater drainage pipeline project.
He claimed that rainwater drainage projects on Jeddah’s main roads, including Palestine Road, were obstructed by road projects such as the underpass on Prince Majed Street.
The prosecutor accused the two defendants of authorizing the contractor implementing the underpass project to also carry out the rainwater drainage project. According to him, the second defendant signed papers certifying the project as completed even though work had not finished.
The first defendant is also accused of downscaling the quality of work for the open canal along the rainwater course. This resulted in the canal being damaged as a result of floods and SR4 million had to be spent to renovate the canal.
The first defendant is facing another trial at the Court of Grievances for forgery, misusing power and misappropriation of public money. In his reply to the court, the defendant said he had saved millions of riyals for the public coffers.
