Two Saudi princes lose battle to keep court documents secret over money laundering allegations.
Two members of Al Saud royal family are involved in a case of London-based company that allegedly facilitated money laundering, court papers show.
According to contested allegations in court documents obtained by the Guardian and Financial Times, a brother and nephew of Saudi Arabiaâ„¢s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz are embroiled in litigation with Jordanian businessman Faisal Almhairat over London-registered telecommunications company FI Call Ltd which they jointly owned.
Prince Mishal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a former defense minister, and his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Mishal, had sought to overturn an earlier ruling by a lower court that disputed transactions involving Saudi interests in Beirut and Nairobi should be heard in public.
However, the court of appeal in London on Thursday upheld the ruling and rejected arguments by the princes that they should be granted immunity from the legal action because of their royal status.
The princes have argued that to air the allegations in open court would damage relations between Riyadh and its western allies.
During the appeal court hearing, Guy Vassall-Adams, counsel for the Guardian and Financial Times, said, “They [the Saudis] have to accept that these damaging allegations will be heard in open court in the usual way. The protection they are entitled to is a judgment delivered in public which will refute unfounded allegations.”
SSM/MOS/HE
This article originally appeared on : Press TV