Amman: The Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (IACC) has taken significant steps to address corruption within local governance by referring 46 cases involving mayors and municipal council members across the Kingdom to the judiciary for legal action in the first half of 2025. This move underscores the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and uphold integrity within municipal operations.
According to Jordan News Agency, 24 of these cases were transferred to the courts in 2025, with an additional 22 cases being carried over from the previous year, 2024. These cases involve a total of 93 municipal employees found guilty of criminal offenses in 2025, including embezzlement, forgery, the use of forged documents, and abuse of public office. These offenses have been classified as both criminal and misdemeanor violations.
The charges extend to misuse of authority, dereliction of duty, and squandering public funds. In 2024, 43 individuals faced similar accusations, highlighting a persistent challenge in curbing unethical practices within municipal administrations. Preliminary estimates suggest that these violations have resulted in financial damage amounting to millions of dinars.
Despite vigilant oversight by law enforcement agencies, the occurrence of these offenses indicates a failure among municipal leadership to adhere to national integrity standards, particularly the principle of the rule of law. The source emphasized that the increasing number of violations within municipalities threatens public funds and compromises the quality of public services. Currently, over 65 percent of the cases under investigation by the IACC involve municipal entities, with a particular focus on larger municipalities.