Former Iraqi minister escapes from Baghdad prison

Iraq’s former electricity minister, a dual US-Iraqi citizen, has escaped from police custody in Baghdad.

Ayham al-Samaraie escaped yesterday with help from members of a security company he had hired to protect him before his arrest, said Faris Kareem, deputy head of Iraq’s Public Integrity Commission.

The anti-corruption panel had brought charges against him.

Al-Samaraie was convicted in October of corruption and sentenced to two years in prison.