Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Arabia has dismissed some and detained some other royal princes found culpable in an anti-corruption investigation carried out by a committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The body which has power to issue arrest warrants and travel bans has detained 11 princes, four sitting ministers and dozens of former ministers, according to local media reports.
Those detained were not named and it is yet to be stated what they are suspected of, though local sources point at the 2009 Jeddah floods and the poor handling of the Mers virus which invaded the Kingdom in 2012
According to the BBC, separately, the heads of the Saudi National Guard and the navy were replaced in a series of high-profile sackings.
“SPA said King Salman had dismissed National Guard minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah and navy commander Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan. No official explanation was given for their removal.”
Prince Mohammed is moving to consolidate his growing power while spearheading a reform programme.
