Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs Dr Amthal Al-Huwaila has referred suspected violations involving the misappropriation of public funds at the Public Authority for Disability Affairs to the Public Prosecution. The cases center on maintenance works and contracts where payments were made for quantities and tasks that investigators determined were not fully executed on the ground. Al-Huwaila told Kuwait News Agency that the suspected financial damage from these violations reached KD 1.211 million, equivalent to $3.95 million. This latest referral follows an internal probe and represents the second such action within a week as oversight efforts intensify.
The minister stressed that protecting public funds remains a non-negotiable responsibility and confirmed that all cases involving potential criminal violations would face legal and administrative action. Authorities plan to pursue the recovery of any improperly disbursed funds while extending accountability to anyone found responsible or negligent regardless of position. Al-Huwaila pledged continued oversight to maintain integrity in the management of public resources at the authority, which oversees services and support for persons with disabilities. The statement to Kuwait News Agency underscored that no tolerance would apply to actions affecting either state funds or beneficiary rights.
A State Audit Bureau assessment for the 2022-2023 fiscal year previously documented 59 financial irregularities at the Public Authority for Disability Affairs, including improper monthly allocations of KD 225,000 to deceased individuals and an additional KD 185,000 disbursed for educational disability benefits that did not meet criteria. The bureau’s findings also flagged KD 282,000 in expenses from prior years charged to the 2022-2023 budget along with other payments to nurseries, schools and associations without proper justification. These earlier revelations have contributed to a sustained push for tighter controls and referrals to prosecution that continued into 2026.
The latest case builds on a referral issued earlier in the week that addressed suspicions of damage to public funds along with financial and administrative breaches tied to contracts, works, services and licensing procedures under the authority’s supervision. In that prior announcement, also made to Kuwait News Agency, Al-Huwaila reiterated that the authority would not tolerate any violations impacting public money or the rights of persons with disabilities. Auditing and accountability measures have since expanded, with the minister confirming that further suspicions would be forwarded to competent bodies without exception.
Efforts to address misuse at the Public Authority for Disability Affairs align with a pattern of recoveries and prosecutions seen in recent years. The authority previously reclaimed hundreds of thousands of dinars through legal actions against unlawful expenditures, including cases involving forged medical reports for disability claims that were referred to the Public Prosecution. Public Authority for Disability Affairs data from 2024 placed the total lawsuits handled since the start of that year at more than 9,600, with a significant portion resolved in the authority’s favor. Such figures illustrate the scale of ongoing scrutiny applied to beneficiary payments and operational contracts.
Al-Huwaila has maintained that safeguarding transparency and integrity cannot be compromised in the administration of services for persons with disabilities. The Public Prosecution will now examine the referred files to determine any further legal steps, including potential recovery orders or administrative sanctions. Investigations continue across multiple areas as the ministry works to reinforce oversight mechanisms at the authority.
