ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission said Sunday it uncovered “violations and irregularities in a project worth more than 4 billion Iraqi dinars in Kirkuk” that was set to pave roads in nearby villages, adding that it arrested the project’s lead engineer and referred him to the judiciary.

According to the statement, a team from the commission’s Kirkuk Investigation Office visited the province’s Municipalities Directorate and, following an investigation, arrested the head of the resident engineer’s office and another employee from the same department.

The commission said the suspects committed violations in a project to pave roads in 11 villages in Kirkuk and implemented the work contrary to required technical specifications by “reducing the thickness of concrete layers and failing to use BRC reinforcing steel” as required.

It added that the field team identified suspected corruption and delays in the project, which was funded by the Fund for the Reconstruction of Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations through its contracts department.

The project was “awarded to a contracting, industrial investment and project management company for 4,239,900,000 Iraqi dinars,” according to the statement.

The commission said the case is being investigated under Article 340 of Iraq’s Penal Code.

It added that an official report was prepared and submitted along with the two suspects to the judge of the Kirkuk Integrity Investigation Court, who ordered their detention pending investigation.

The judge also ordered statements to be taken from legal representatives of the governorate and the directorates of roads, bridges, and municipalities in Kirkuk.

In addition, a committee of specialists and experts from the North Oil Company, the Engineers Syndicate, and the Kirkuk branch of construction laboratories was formed to evaluate the work completed and compare it with the contract requirements and technical specifications.

The commission said the Engineering Technical College Laboratory in Kirkuk was also contacted to determine the reasons behind discrepancies between its report and that of the Kirkuk Construction Laboratory.

The latest case comes weeks after the Integrity Commission announced the arrest of a three-member network accused of attempting to fraudulently obtain nearly 1.5 trillion Iraqi dinars from the state-run Rafidain and Rasheed banks using forged checks and documents.

The commission said the suspects were arrested inside Rafidain Bank's headquarters in Baghdad during a joint operation with banking officials and the judiciary.

It has since intensified auditing and investigative efforts across Baghdad and other provinces, including reviews of major government contracts and public spending.

Despite government efforts to clamp down on corruption and bribery, Iraq ranked 136 out of 181 countries on Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.