DOHA: Media reports that the Prosecution has launched investigations into an audit firm’s suspicious behaviour have created ripples in the local financial circles.
Rumours were abound yesterday with people trying to guess the identity of the erring audit firm and about the nature of irregularities it might have committed for which it is being faulted.
Asked what might have prevented the Prosecution from revealing the identity of the audit firm, a prominent lawyer said Qatari laws forbid using names during investigations of a crime, court case or even after a court verdict has been issued. This applies to civil disputes as well.
“That’s why you see that in reporting court cases or court verdicts the media do not use the names of suspects, accused or even convicts,” said senior lawyer, Jamal Al Nema.
The objective of reporting crimes, civil or criminal cases by the media is to make the public aware, and not to malign individuals, groups or entities, he said in remarks to this newspaper.
“That’s why you always find media reports about crimes or court cases mentioning ‘an Asian or a European or an Arab national held or punished for a certain crime’, and there is no names dropping,” Al Nema said.
Yesterday’s news report said the erring audit firm was one of the biggest operating in the country with people in the financial sector taking it to suggest one of the eight international audit companies that have a presence here.
It was also a subject of hot debate in the financial circles as to what type of company it could be whose accounts might have been manipulated by the audit firm.
The involvement of government funds in the alleged irregularities was ruled out because that would bring into picture the State Audit Bureau and not a private audit firm.
That leaves private or shareholding companies whose scope is quite wide as they can include closed as well as listed entities.
The Peninsula
