Ex-managing director, six others get jail terms in oil bribery case

REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Five Omanis from a state-run oil sector firm and two Indian expatriate officials, one of them a former managing director and the other a manager from Galfar Engineering were convicted and awarded jail terms and hefty fines in five oil bribery cases by Muscat Primary Court yesterday.

On January 12, Muscat Primary Court pronounced the verdict in the first of the six cases and convicted one Omani official and two Indian expatriate officials from Galfar Engineering.

According to yesterday’s court verdict, the former managing director from Galfar Engineering, who is an accused in all the six cases, has to pay OMR1.774 million as fine in five cases, and the manager from the same company, an accused in five cases, has to pay OMR534,000 as fine in all the cases.

In addition to this, the former managing director and the manager have to serve a jail term of 15 years in all the five cases. Besides, the court has also ordered that both the convicted expatriates be deported after they complete their jail terms.

If both wish to seek bail and move a higher court for appeal, they will have to pay OMR620,000 individually, in addition to the fines.

According to the verdict, the Omani convicted in the first case has to pay a fine of OMR1m and serve a three-year jail term. If he wants to seek a bail and move a higher court for appeal, he has to pay OMR300,000 in addition to the fine.

The Omani convicted in the second case has to pay a fine of OMR500,000 and serve a threeyear jail term. If he wants to seek a bail and move a higher court for appeal, he has to pay OMR100,000 in addition to the fine.

The Omani convicted in the third case has to pay a fine of OMR100,000 and serve a fouryear jail term. If he wants to seek a bail or a higher court for appeal, he has to pay OMR100,000 in addition to the fine.

The Omani convicted in the fourth case has to pay a fine of OMR150,000 and serve a threeyear jail term. If he wants to seek a bail or move a higher court for appeal, he has to pay OMR100,000 in addition to the fine.

The Omani convicted in the fifth case has to pay a fine of OMR24,000 and serve a threeyear jail term. If he wants to seek a bail or move a higher court for appeal, he has to pay OMR20,000 in addition to the fine.

All the five Omani officials have also been terminated from their jobs for a period ranging from 20 to 30 years.

In all, three top officials from Galfar Engineering were accused of being involved in six oil bribery cases, and are currently under trial in the Sultanate’s courts.