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Ammon News - AMMAN (Jordan Times) — Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) President Samih Bino on Monday urged the media not to resort to character assassination of public figures and agencies.

During a wide-ranging press conference held at the ACC, Bino said character assassination could drive away hard-sought investors from the country, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Responding to questions on the decision to refer the president of the Jordan Nurses and Midwives Association (JNMA), Mohammad Hatamleh, to the prosecutor general, the ACC chief said it was taken after he committed financial infringements on public funds.

Hatamleh’s infringements reportedly exceeded JD100,000 during his 2007-2009 term.

The ACC said investigations revealed that Hatamleh, who is also secretary general of the Arab Nurses Union, signed a JD58,500 cheque and cashed it without providing the proper paperwork.

Moreover, he also received loans worth more than JD44,000 from the JNMA’s fund for the Arab Nurses Union, without providing legitimate reasons or consulting the JNMA council.

Bino also talked about the plots of land commissioned to public figures in Aqaba, saying investigations were under way.

He added that the ACC’s efforts resulted in retrieving around 3,000 dunums, and the investor is currently demanding to be refunded for the fees he paid for those lands.

The case is related to violations by members of the former commissioners of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, at a time when former premier Nader Dahabi was chief commissioner.

The objective of the move was to allow business tycoon, Sabih Masri, to establish a tourism and real estate investment project on the land.

The amount involved in the case is at least JD9 million.

Bino also said the ACC receives a huge number of complaints, most of which turn out to be either groundless or do not fall within the agency's jurisdiction, noting that the ACC is understaffed.