Mohammed Samih, General Coordinator for the recovery of stolen funds in Yemen told al-Jazeera on Sunday the group had been hard at work since September 2012, date of its creation, bent on guaranteeing the recovery of all the money the former regime it believes swindle out of Yemen. Former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his eldest son, Gen. Ahmed Ali Saleh- former Commander in Chief of the Republican Guards - are believed to have a combine net worth of several billions of dollars, spread out through the Middle East, the United States of America, and western Europe -- France, Germany and the UK--
Under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption - UNCAC- the international community can and must enable any government which seeks to investigate and take actions against individuals or groups they believe embezzled public funds or benefited from criminal activities. Signed in 2003 UNCAC is the most recent of a long series of developments in which experts and politicians have recognized the far-reaching impact of corruption and economic crime that undermine the value of democracy, sustainable development, and rule of law.
UNCAC deals with forms of corruption that had not been covered by many of the earlier international instruments, such as trading in influence, abuse of function, and various types of corruption in the private sector. A further significant development was the inclusion of a specific chapter dealing with the recovery of stolen assets, a major concern for countries that pursue the assets of former leaders and other officials accused or found to have engaged in corruption.
Under Chapter IV of UNCAC, States Parties are obliged to assist one another in every aspect of the fight against corruption, including prevention, investigation, and the prosecution of offenders. Cooperation takes the form of extradition, mutual legal assistance, transfer of sentences persons and criminal proceedings, and law enforcement cooperation.
According to Samih, Germany prevented Gen. Ahmed Ali from from completing a series of order on his accounts -- transfer of funds and property deeds - Although only a fraction of Saleh's sons and nephews money is actually believed to be hidden in Europe, Samih said he was pleased Germany had agreed to assist Yemen in its fight against corruption.
However he noted how disappointing Gulf countries had been in their refusal to come forth with Saleh and his coterie's financial information.
It has been rumoured - although without proof so far - that Saleh's family members have been using screens to hide their wealth, their money hidden away within foreign companies, properties bought under agents and funds transferred to off-shore accounts through proxies -- Gen. Yehia Saleh - former Head of the Central Security Forces - quite openly bought multi-million dollars properties in Lebanon where he relocated in 2012 months prior to his dismissal by President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi.