In a recent legal showdown in Riyadh, an engineer has been handed a six-month prison sentence along with a fine of SR50,000 for practicing without the necessary professional accreditation. The court’s verdict also included a hefty penalty of SR100,000 against the company that employed the engineer.
The company was found in breach of Article 11 of the Engineering Professions Law, which mandates that only accredited professionals may be employed for engineering tasks. The engineer was also charged with fraudulently using titles reserved for accredited professionals.
Eng. Abdul Mohsen Al-Majnouni, Secretary General of the Saudi Council of Engineers, revealed that the engineer’s misstep was uncovered during a routine inspection by the council’s inspection teams. Following this, legal proceedings were initiated, including interviews with both the engineer and the company’s legal representative. The case was subsequently handed over to the Public Prosecution for further investigation and action.
Al-Majnouni highlighted that recent inspections have led to the discovery of numerous violations, including unlicensed engineering practices and the employment of non-accredited practitioners. Over the past few months, 30 cases have been referred to the Public Prosecution, involving 14 companies and various establishments in the engineering and design sectors. The authority has also cracked down on eight engineering offices and companies for similar infractions.
The enforcement action extended to eight individuals from different nationalities, who were found guilty of falsifying information or using improper methods to obtain professional credentials. Al-Majnouni underscored the critical importance of securing proper professional accreditation before engaging in engineering work and warned against the misuse of professional titles.
