JEDDAH: Nine people are expected to go on trial on Dec. 20 over an advertising business that built up about SR1 billion in its account by allegedly getting sole advertising rights from municipalities in Riyadh and the Eastern Province.

The accused include five officials from the municipalities, a Saudi businessman, a Lebanese businessman and two Lebanese workers of the company, according to a report in a local publication.

It is alleged that the Saudi businessman allowed the Lebanese businessman to operate the company under his name. The other accused are five top officials working for municipalities in Riyadh and the Eastern Province.

According to the report, the Lebanese man transferred huge amounts of money to his family in Lebanon, and bought many houses there. Checks and documents signed in his name were confiscated.

He and another expatriate also face charges of starting an unlicensed commercial business, according to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIPP) in Jeddah, the report stated.

The BIPP investigation had discovered a long-standing relationship between the Lebanese man and the Saudi businessman, who specialized in advertising projects. These two had colluded with officials working at various municipalities.

The accused officials had allegedly issued a circular giving the two businessmen sole right to place advertising on top of certain buildings, in contravention of municipal laws.

It was found that the Lebanese expatriate earned SR200,000, a housing stipend of SR240,000, and other benefits totaling SR1 million a year.