Accused Official Manages Ibb Endowments Office from Prison, Sparking Outrage

Widespread indignation is mounting in the Ibb Governorate following the continued administrative tenure of Bandar Al-Asal, the Houthi-appointed director of the Awqaf (Endowments) Office, who has been managing his duties remotely from the central prison for over three years, a situation activists label a comprehensive administrative scandal reflecting severe deficiencies in oversight within militia-controlled areas.

Observers contend that allowing an official accused in a serious criminal case to remain at the helm of an institution responsible for managing endowment assets and lands sets a dangerous precedent. This situation exposes dual standards and raises significant questions regarding the regional and administrative protection afforded to certain officials affiliated with the militias.

According to local sources, Bandar Al-Asal is detained in connection with the killing of citizen Radfan Al-Arjali. Although the case file has been referred to the judiciary following extensive public controversy, his employment status has not been administratively resolved. Furthermore, circulating information suggests his financial allocations continue to be disbursed regularly.

Activists argue that the continued disbursement of funds to an official incarcerated is not merely a procedural lapse but constitutes an explicit waste of public money and an affront to the feelings of victims and public opinion. They stress that any administrative system adhering to minimal governance standards would have immediately suspended him pending a final judicial ruling.

The matter gains added sensitivity given that Ibb Governorate holds some of the largest state endowments and revenues, which have been centrally remitted to Sana’a since the Houthi militias seized control. Concurrently, residents of the governorate report a decline in public services and a deprivation of their endowment revenues.

Analysts view this case as transcending the personal dimension, serving instead as an indicator of how public resources are managed in areas under the control of the Houthi coup militias, where transparency is absent and political and regional considerations intermingle with administrative decisions.

Activists have demanded the immediate dismissal of the official and the appointment of a new administration for the Awqaf Office. They assert that safeguarding endowment funds and restoring public confidence necessitates clear, urgent measures, emphasizing that public office is a responsibility contingent upon accountability, not an indefinite privilege regardless of political patronage.