Saudi graft detainees freed from luxury hotel

RIYADH: Saudi Arabian authorities have released all remaining detainees from Riyadh’s opulent Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which had been used as an interrogation centre in a crackdown on corruption, a Saudi official said.

The news signalled that the threemonth-old purge, in which dozens of top officials and businessmen were detained by investigators who said they aimed to seize some US$100bil (RM395bil) of illicit assets, was drawing to a close.

“There are no longer any detainees left at the Ritz-Carlton,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He did not say how many suspects remained in detention at other locations in Saudi Arabia. Some are believed to have been moved from the Ritz to prison after refusing to admit wrongdoing and reach financial settlements with the authorities.

Last week, the attorney-general said that countrywide most detainees had agreed to settlements, 90 had been released after charges were dropped, and 95 remained in custody. Some cases will go to trial.

Among top businessmen caught up in the purge were Prince Alwaleed, owner of global investor Kingdom Holding, and Waleed al-Ibrahim, who controls influential regional broadcaster MBC.

MBC said the investigation found Ibrahim completely innocent of wrongdoing and Prince Alwaleed has insisted he is innocent, although Saudi officials said both men agreed to settlements after admitting unspecified “violations”.