Saudi minister previously detained for corruption to head Davos delegation

S$8D, $5$%,$ - Saudi $rabia’s delegation to the :orld (conomic )orum :() in Davos ne[t week will be led by state minister ,brahim al-$ssaf, who was released from detention related to an anti-corruption purge in November, Saudi sources said. $ssaf, who was also a former finance minister and a board member of national oil company Saudi $ramco, was among people detained and under investigation by a new anti-corruption body, a senior Saudi official had told 5euters. $fter he was seen attending a cabinet meeting earlier this month, a Saudi source said he had been cleared of wrongdoing and retained his positions as minister of state and adviser to the king.

Saudi security forces have rounded up do]ens of princes, ministers and business leaders and converted the 5it]&arlton +otel in 5iyadh into a lu[urious prison in what the authorities said was a crackdown on corruption.

The move was also widely seen as helping &rown 3rince 0ohammed bin Salman consolidate his grip on power after he ousted his cousin as heir to the throne in the summer. Some detainees have cut deals with the government, handing over cash or assets in e[change for their freedom.

$ssaf’s restoration appears to suggest that influential figures might keep their positions if they cooperate with the investigations.

The government media office did not immediately respond to a reTuest for comment.

(Reuters)