A Saudi court has sentenced Lieutenant General Khalid bin Qarar al-Harbi, former Director of Public Security, to 20 years in prison for corruption. Al-Harbi, dismissed in 2021, was convicted of bribery, forgery, and abuse of power for personal gain, as reported by local media.
The court’s ruling includes a 10-year prison term and a fine of one million Saudi riyals (Rs 75 million). Additionally, al-Harbi must return over 13 million riyals (Rs 34 million) in misappropriated funds, including two agricultural plots and gifts received as bribes.
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Al-Harbi served as Director of Public Security from December 2018, following two years as Director of the Special Emergency Forces. Initially sentenced to 25 years in 2022, his term was reduced to 20 years in the final verdict.
This case is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader anti-corruption campaign, led by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman since 2017. The initiative targets high-profile individuals and aims to foster transparency, with recent arrests and investigations continuing under the Kingdom’s Commission of Integrity.
