AMMAN — The Amman Criminal Court on Sunday listened to the testimony of former tourism minister Osama Dabbas in the alleged corruption case known as the “casino file”.

 In the hearing, Dabbas claimed that the idea of establishing a casino was initiated by former prime minister Marouf Bakhit and he only carried out the administrative measures.

Dabbas also said he contacted specialised companies to obtain bids and referred the tenders to the Cabinet to study the offered prices.

The former minister, who is the defendant in the case, added that he did not interfere in the decision whatsoever.

The case concerns a multimillion-dinar deal Bakhit’s first government signed with an investor to build and operate a casino on the shores of the Dead Sea, which was later scrapped by the government of Nader Dahabi.