An engineering practitioner in Riyadh was held accountable by the Saudi Council of Engineers for engaging in engineering work without obtaining the necessary professional accreditation. The practitioner also falsely claimed a professional degree title without holding the required certification. As a result, the practitioner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined 50,000 SAR, while the employing engineering company was fined 100,000 SAR. The case was referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office for further legal proceedings.
Eng. Abdulmohsen Almajnouni, Secretary General of the Saudi Council of Engineers, revealed that the practitioner was apprehended during a routine supervisory tour by the Council's oversight and inspection teams. The practitioner was found guilty of violating Article 11 of the Engineering Profession Regulations, which mandates that all engineering practitioners in the Kingdom must obtain professional accreditation before practicing.
Following the arrest, legal procedures were completed, and the statements of both the practitioner and the representative of the engineering company were recorded in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure. The case was then forwarded to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which led to a court judgment convicting the practitioner and the company of the violations.
In addition to this case, the Secretary General noted that over the past few months, the Saudi Council of Engineers has identified and referred 30 other cases to the Public Prosecutor's Office. These cases involve violations of Article 11 by various entities, including companies, contracting institutions, and interior design offices offering engineering consulting services without the proper licenses. Among the most significant violations were conducting engineering work without a license, employing unaccredited practitioners, and using misleading promotional methods suggesting the right to practice engineering without obtaining the necessary approval.
The Council's investigations also uncovered violations in eight engineering offices and companies, where practitioners were found to have provided false information or used irregular methods to claim professional accreditation or degree titles.
The Secretary General emphasized the importance of obtaining professional accreditation for the official practice of engineering in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He stressed that it is illegal to use professional degree titles without proper accreditation, including in official publications and social media, in accordance with the laws and regulations of the engineering profession issued by Royal Decree No. M/36, dated 19/4/1438H.
