Saudi Arabia's anti-corruption body has accused executives and employees of Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) of misusing public funds, it said in a statement on Sunday referring the case for prosecution.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission, or Nazaha, said it had identified irregularities in eight contracts concluded by the state-controlled utility company's employees in Eastern Province worth more than 80 million riyal ($21.33 million), mostly involving the purchase of mispriced licences.
Saudi Electricity Company said in a written statement that its internal controls had first picked up on the evidence of wrongdoing and that it was co-operating fully with authorities on the case.
Saudi Arabia created Nazaha in 2011 as part of efforts to bolster confidence in the government at a time when popular unrest was sweeping the Arab world and ultimately led to the overthrow of several governments.