A Saudi money exchanger wears a protective face mask and gloves as he counts Saudi riyal currency at a currency exchange shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 10, 2020. Reuters
A Saudi money exchanger wears a protective face mask and gloves as he counts Saudi riyal currency at a currency exchange shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 10, 2020. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
Members of the Saudi armed forces attend prayers at a mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
Members of the Saudi armed forces attend prayers at a mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A policeman wearing a protective face mask blocks the road during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A policeman wearing a protective face mask blocks the road during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A combination of photos shows a small crowd of worshippers around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 7, 2020, and a large crowd during the pilgrimage, on August 13, 2019. AFP
A combination of photos shows a small crowd of worshippers around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 7, 2020, and a large crowd during the pilgrimage, on August 13, 2019. AFP
Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Makkah's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, on April 3, 2020. AFP
Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Makkah's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, on April 3, 2020. AFP
A man checks his phone as he crosses an empty street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A man checks his phone as he crosses an empty street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
Birds are seen near the Grand Mosque during a curfew. Reuters
Birds are seen near the Grand Mosque during a curfew. Reuters
Police officers man a checkpoint in a street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
Police officers man a checkpoint in a street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
The clock tower is lit up with the phrase "Home Heroes" during a curfew. Reuters
The clock tower is lit up with the phrase "Home Heroes" during a curfew. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
The deserted old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. AFP
The deserted old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
The announcement comes amid uncertainty over the hajj which is due to take place at the end of July, after authorities this week urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage. AFP
The announcement comes amid uncertainty over the hajj which is due to take place at the end of July, after authorities this week urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage. AFP
The measures bar people from entering and exiting the capital as well as Jeddah, Mecca and Medina and prohibiting movement between all provinces to stem the spread of coronavirus with the number of deaths from the disease rising to 21. AFP
The measures bar people from entering and exiting the capital as well as Jeddah, Mecca and Medina and prohibiting movement between all provinces to stem the spread of coronavirus with the number of deaths from the disease rising to 21. AFP
Pigeons fly around closed shops in the old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on April 2, 2020. AFP
Pigeons fly around closed shops in the old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on April 2, 2020. AFP
A vegetable seller wearing a protective face mask sells fruits and vegetables at a market before markets close, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, in Riyadh. Reuters
A vegetable seller wearing a protective face mask sells fruits and vegetables at a market before markets close, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, in Riyadh. Reuters
Branded oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
Branded oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Saudi policeman attacked after refusing bribe for lockdown violation

Anti-corruption authority says suspects were detained and will face prosecution

The National

April 12, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

A group of men attacked a Saudi police officer who refused to take a bribe when he stopped them for breaking the lockdown.

The Control and Anti-corruption Authority announced over the weekend that a group of men were arrested for assault and damaging a police vehicle. They were stopped for breaking the nightly restriction in the kingdom and then tried to pay officers to let them go, it said.

The kingdom has brought in curfews to stem the rising number of coronavirus cases, currently at 4,033 infections and 52 deaths.

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The bureau said the men would be referred for criminal prosecution and it recommended the harshest sentences as it claimed they had “disregarded the efforts made by official authorities to combat this pandemic and assaulted security officers who dedicate themselves to serving the country and its people”.

Separately, the bureau said a judge and a colonel in the military were being investigated after reports they took money to influence verdicts.

The anti-corruption authority said that the judge and the colonel, who are brothers, took bribes to pass favourable verdicts and were also involved in money laundering, misuse of public office and appropriating public funds. A lawyer and a businessman were also involved in the case, the body reported. All have confessed during questioning and will now face trial.

The bureau said that the actions of the judge were not representative of the judicial system.

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

The biog

Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos

Favourite spice: Cumin

Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter

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