Adeem Al-Ard Contracting and General Trading Company
Investment licence of the National Investment Commission, for the project: Construction of the modern model Najaf cemetery and infrastructure services.
شركة أديم الأرض للمقاولات والتجارة العامة
Legal status
Under investigation
Status as of 5 Nov 2022: according to Alsumaria (25 Nov 2021), the Supreme Judicial Council asked the Najaf Integrity investigations office to investigate suspected waste of public money in the company's Model Cemetery project, and issued arrest warrants against its owner. In September 2022 Alsumaria reported that MP Hadi al-Salami had referred the file to the Integrity Commission and the judiciary. In November 2022 he said the files were frozen in the courts. Earlier, in April 2021, the Najaf appeal court upheld the validity of the investment licence, according to Shafaq News. Alsumaria repeated the allegations in 2025. No ruling or closure was found, and no charge against the company itself was found.
The licence as listed
- Licensing body
- National Investment Commission
- Licence number
- 367/2020
- Date of grant
- 19 May 2020
- Sector
- Services
- Project
- Construction of the modern model Najaf cemetery and infrastructure servicesإنشاء مقبرة النجف النموذجية الحديثة وخدمات البنى التحتية
- Licensee
- شركة أديم الأرض للمقاولات والتجارة العامة (Iraqi)
- Province
- Najaf
- Location
- النجف الاشرف
- Stated cost
- $245 million
- State of the project
- Not reported
Who is behind the licensee
| Name | Role | Legal status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Muayad Nadhim Abdulhussein al-Jubouri مؤيد ناظم عبد الحسين الجبوري | Owner of the company, as described by Alsumaria (صاحب شركة مقاولات اديم الارض) | Charged or wantedStatus as of 25 Nov 2021: Alsumaria reported that the Supreme Judicial Council issued arrest warrants against him over suspected corruption in the Najaf Model Cemetery project. Alsumaria published… Read the restimages it described as the documents. The warrants were not checked independently. Alsumaria repeated the report on 7 Dec 2021 and 25 Sep 2022. No later arrest, trial, ruling or closure was found. On 5 Nov 2022 MP Hadi al-Salami said the corruption files on the model cemetery were frozen in the courts, according to Shafaq News. | alsumaria.tv |
Luay al-Yasiri لؤي الياسري | Governor of Najaf at the time of Alsumaria's report of 25 Nov 2021. Alsumaria called him the former governor in October 2022. Alsumaria quoted his statement to the state news agency that there were corruption suspicions around the project, that the land… Read the restbelongs to the Ministry of Finance, and that the National Investment Commission in Baghdad granted the licence. Alsumaria (16 Oct 2022) reported that official letters show he asked for IQD 500 billion as a first allocation for the project. | Not charged as of the date of writing Not charged as of the date of writing. Named as the official who commented on the project and asked for funding for it. No charge, court ruling, sanction or official finding was found in the sources read. | alsumaria.tv |
Links stated in published sources
Shafaq News reported on 29 April 2021 that the Najaf Federal Court of Appeal, in a cassation ruling, overturned an earlier order that had suspended work on the Model Cemetery project. It said the court affirmed that the investment licence was valid and that the investor had the right to carry out the project.
بنقض أمر ولائي سابق بإيقاف إجراءات تنفيذ المشروع، مؤكدة على صحة الاجازة الاستثمارية وحق المستثمر بتنفيذ المشروع
Alsumaria reported on 25 September 2022 that Adeem Al-Ard had breached all regulations by starting to build the Model Cemetery on about 6,300 dunums without official approvals. It said the company then began selling plots to citizens for 2.5 to 3 million dinars each, according to witnesses.
دون استحصال موافقات رسمية او قرار يقضي بالشروع والانشاء، شركة اديم الارض تخرق جميع اللوائح وتشرع ببناء المقبرة النموذجية في النجف
In the same report, Alsumaria said MP Hadi al-Salami pointed to legal violations and waste of public money in building the cemetery, and announced that he had referred the file to the Integrity Commission and the judiciary. It said lawyers in Najaf had filed lawsuits because those responsible had not contracted with the State Real Estate Department and the land had no handover record. It also said the department told the legal department of the Council of Ministers secretariat that it could not give the land for investment.
ليبين عضو مجلس النواب هادي السلامي عن مخالفات قانونية وهدر بالمال العام شاب بناء المقبرة، معلنا عن احالة الملف الى النزاهة والقضاء للتحقيق فيه
In the same report, Alsumaria said, without naming anyone, that those behind the project issued a forged letter, without the signature of the senior religious authority, claiming that the authority had approved and blessed the project.
ليصدروا كتابا مزيفا دون تهميش او توقيع المرجعية يقولون فيه بانها وافقت وباركت المشروع
In the same report, Alsumaria alleged, without naming anyone, that those behind the project pressed officials with intimidation or inducement, with billions paid as levies to senior figures in Najaf and Baghdad to obtain initial approval.
يضغطون من جانب اخر على المسؤولين بطريقة الترهيب او الترغيب بالمليارات التي دفعت كاتاوات لشخصيات رفيعة المستوى بمحافظة النجف وبغداد من اجل الموافقة المبدئية
Alsumaria reported on 7 October 2022 that members of the public, MPs and lawyers alleged that officials responsible for setting up the cemetery sold plots without approvals, and that large sums were paid as bribes to complete the project. No official or company is named in that report.
كشفت اوساط شعبية ونواب وقانونيين ، اليوم الجمعة، تورط مسؤولين عن انشاء مقبرة النجف النموذجية ببيع قطع الارض الى المواطنين دون استحصال موافقات على انشاء المقبرة ، فيما اشارو الى دفع مبالغ كبيرة كرشوة لأستكمال هذا المشروع.
Alsumaria reported on 16 October 2022 that the investing company and 'the influential parties controlling it' obtained land estimated at 6,300 dunums from the state free of charge, and began dividing it and selling plots to citizens at high prices. Citing lawyers and intellectuals, it said this was done illegally because the company had not yet obtained final approval to start sales. The influential parties are not named.
على طبق من ذهب حصلت الشركة المستثمرة لمقبرة النجف النموذجية والجهات المتنفذة المسيطرة عليها على ارض قدرت بـمساحة ستة الاف وثلاثمئة دونم، لتبدأ بتقطيع وبيع الاراضي فيها على المواطنين وبمبالغ باهظة، رغم حصولها على الارض بالمجان من الدولة، كل هذا يجري بحسب قانونيين ومثقفين باجراءات غير قانونية
In the same report, Alsumaria said MP Sanaa al-Musawi called for a further allocation, estimated at IQD 1 trillion, to be stopped. Alsumaria described that money as going to the investor's pocket.
لتعود النائبة سناء الموسوي وتطالب بايقاف تخصيص اخر قدر بترليون دينار يذهب لجيب المستثمر
Shafaq News reported on 5 November 2022 that MP Hadi al-Salami said most corruption files in Najaf, mostly on investment, Najaf airport and the model cemetery, were frozen in the courts, and that their papers had been moved to the Karkh and Rusafa appeal courts in Baghdad.
اغلب ملفات الفساد مجمدة في المحاكم وأغلبها متعلقة بالاستثمار ومطار النجف والمقبرة النموذجية وموادها منقولة الى محاكم استئناف الكرخ والرصافة في بغداد
An Alsumaria evening bulletin of 27 March 2025 ran a segment in its series on violations at the Model Cemetery. Its headline alleged seizure of the land contrary to law and the grant of an investment licence outside the rules. No person or company is named in the headline.
ضمن سلسلةِ مخالفاتِ المقبرةِ النموذجيةْ.. استحواذ ٌ على الارضِ خلافا للقانون.. ومنحُ اجازةِ استثمارٍ خارجَ الضوابط
What official and press reports say
- Official findings
- According to Shafaq News (29 April 2021), the Najaf Federal Court of Appeal, in a cassation ruling, overturned an earlier order suspending the project and affirmed the validity of the investment licence and the investor's right to carry out the project. According to Alsumaria (25 November 2021), the Supreme Judicial Council issued arrest warrants against the company's owner, Muayad Nadhim Abdulhussein al-Jubouri, over suspected corruption in the Model Cemetery project, and asked the Integrity investigations office in Najaf to investigate suspected waste of public money in the project. Alsumaria also said it had obtained a Supreme Judicial Council document dated 12 November 2020 that referred a letter from the Najaf public prosecution about a 'corruption case' in the project. The Governor of Najaf, Luay al-Yasiri, told the state news agency, as quoted by Alsumaria, that there were corruption suspicions and that the state should take legal action against those responsible. In September 2022 Alsumaria reported that MP Hadi al-Salami had referred the file to the Integrity Commission and the judiciary. In November 2022 he said the model cemetery corruption files were frozen in the courts, according to Shafaq News. No ruling on the corruption suspicions, no closure and no later status was found.
- What became of the project
- Najaf Model Cemetery (licence 367/2020, USD 245,008,618): in April 2021 the Najaf appeal court overturned an order that had suspended the project, according to Shafaq News. By November 2021 plots were being sold. Citizens told Alsumaria that prices were very high and that the cemetery management held no Ministry of Finance licence for sales because it had not yet signed a contract with the ministry. The governor said the land belongs to the Ministry of Finance. In September 2022 Alsumaria put completion at more than half of the project and reported plot prices of 2.5 to 3 million dinars, according to witnesses. In October 2022 Alsumaria reported that sales had begun before services were complete and before final approval. The present state of the licence was not established. In July 2026 Shafaq News reported that the Najaf education directorate circulated to its staff an offer from an unnamed company to buy burial plots in 'the model cemetery' by instalments through a bank. The director general said the circular was issued without his knowledge and that he would cancel it. Because the company is not named, it is not confirmed to be this licensee. Hotel and car park (licence 225/2018 of 29/08/2018, USD 33,615,449): the National Investment Commission list records it as not started because the land was not handed over and the contract was not signed.
- Other contracts with the state
- A second National Investment Commission licence in the same list: 225/2018 (29/08/2018), hotel and car park, Najaf, USD 33,615,449. No other government contracts were found.
Sources
- وثيقة.. القضاء العراقي يحسم الجدل حول مشروع مقبرة النجف النموذجية, Shafaq News, 29 April 2021 Tier D
أصدرت محكمة استئناف النجف الاتحادية، يوم الخميس، حكماً تمييزاً بشأن الدعوى المتعلقة بصحة الإجازة الاستثمارية لمشروع مقبرة النجف النموذجية
- فساد مقبرة النجف النموذجية يضع صاحب شركة "اديم الارض" على ابواب القضاء, Alsumaria News, 25 November 2021 Tier D
أصدر مجلس القضاء الاعلى، مذكرات قبض بحق صاحب شركة مقاولات "اديم الارض" "مؤيد ناظم عبد الحسين الجبوري"
- فساد مقبرة النجف النموذجية يضع صاحب شركة "اديم الارض" على ابواب القضاء (document of 12 Nov 2020), Alsumaria News, 25 November 2021 Tier D
حصلت "السومرية" على وثيقة صادرة من مجلس القضاء الأعلى، بتاريخ (12 تشرين الثاني 2020)، أشارت إلى إحالة كتاب من الادعاء العام في النجف حول "قضية فساد" في مشروع المقبرة الجديدة
- فساد مقبرة النجف النموذجية يضع صاحب شركة "اديم الارض" على ابواب القضاء (governor's statements), Alsumaria News, 25 November 2021 Tier D
هيئة الاستثمار الوطنية في بغداد هي من منحت إجازة مشروع المقبرة الجديدة
- "مقبرة النجف النموذجية".. شبهات الفساد تصل الى "رقاد الموتى", Alsumaria News, 7 December 2021 Tier D
خاطب مجلس القضاء الأعلى، مكتب تحقيقات النزاهة في محافظة النجف، للتحقيق في شبهات "هدر للمال العام"
- مطالبات بالتحقيق في مقبرة النجف "النموذجية" (فيديو), Alsumaria News, 25 September 2022 Tier D
وفي الـ 25 من تشرين الثاني 2021 أصدر مجلس القضاء الاعلى مذكرات قبض بحق صاحب شركة مقاولات اديم الارض مؤيد ناظم الجبوري نظرا لوجود شبهات فساد في مقبرة النجف النموذجية
- بالفيديو.. الفساد يطال "مقبرة النجف النموذجية": بيع أراضي بدون موافقات!, Alsumaria News, 7 October 2022 Tier D
كشفت اوساط شعبية ونواب وقانونيين ، اليوم الجمعة، تورط مسؤولين عن انشاء مقبرة النجف النموذجية ببيع قطع الارض الى المواطنين دون استحصال موافقات على انشاء المقبرة
- بالفيديو.. برلمانيون يشخصون هدراً بالمال العام في مقبرة النجف النموذجية, Alsumaria News, 16 October 2022 Tier D
بحسب كتب رسمية كشفت عن طلب المحافظ السابق لؤي الياسري بتخصيص مبلغ خمسمئة مليار دينار عراقي كدفعة اولى للمشروع
- برلماني يدعو زيدان للتدخل: ملفات الفساد مجمدة في محاكم بغداد والنجف, Shafaq News, 5 November 2022 Tier D
اغلب ملفات الفساد مجمدة في المحاكم وأغلبها متعلقة بالاستثمار ومطار النجف والمقبرة النموذجية
- مقبرة النجف... شبهات فساد ومخالفات قانونية! | نشرة ٢٧ آذار ٢٠٢٥, Alsumaria TV (evening bulletin), 27 March 2025 Tier D
ضمن سلسلةِ مخالفاتِ المقبرةِ النموذجيةْ.. استحواذ ٌ على الارضِ خلافا للقانون.. ومنحُ اجازةِ استثمارٍ خارجَ الضوابط
- "قبور بالتقسيط" تشعل الجدل في النجف.. مدير التربية يتبرأ والمجلس يلوّح بالإجراءات (وثائق), Shafaq News, 22 July 2026 Tier D
عمّمت بموجبه على منتسبيها عرضاً من إحدى الشركات المختصة يتضمن شراء قطع أراضٍ للدفن في "المقبرة النموذجية" بالمحافظة، بالتقسيط المريح، وعن طريق أحد المصارف في المحافظة
Other licences of the same licensee
- Construction of a hotel and a car parkNational commission, 29 August 2018, $33.6 million, Not reported