Lebanon’s former Central Bank Chief Riad Salameh will remain in detention, a judge has ruled on Monday as amid a probe into alleged financial crimes committed during his tenure.
Investigative judge Bilal Halawi took the decision after questioning Salameh for the first time since he was taken into custody last week on charges that local media said included embezzlement, forgery and illicit enrichment.
Judge Halawi has scheduled another hearing for Thursday, Reuters news agency quoted a judicial source as saying.
قاضي التحقيق الاول في بيروت #بلال_حلاوي اصدر مذكّرة توقيف وجاهية بحق حاكم مصرف لبنان السابق #رياض_سلامة pic.twitter.com/dpk1e0mtW9
— Mona Tahini منى طحيني (@MonaTahini) September 9, 2024
If the prosecution continues, it would mark a rare case of a serving or retired senior Lebanese official facing accountability.
Protesters gathered outside Lebanese Justice Ministry HQ in Beirut, with a group of them shouting “Thief!” as a convoy they believed was transporting Salameh entered the ministry building.
رغم كل شيء، مشاهدة رياض سلامة معتقلا وتقتاده القوى الامنية الى جلسة الاستجواب رائع. عقبال الباقيين https://t.co/QvFlr5fLv5
— Roula Ibrahim (@roulaibrahim) September 9, 2024
Salameh’s media office has said he would not comment publicly on the case, in line with the law. It said in a statement he had cooperated in the past with more than 20 criminal probes in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and was cooperating with the investigation after his detention.
Judicial sources told Reuters last week Salameh was suspected of accruing more than $110 million via financial crimes involving Optimum Invest, a Lebanese firm that offers income brokerage services.
The charges brought against Salameh last week are separate from previous charges of financial crimes linked to Forry Associates, a company controlled by his brother, Raja. The brothers – who deny any wrongdoing – were accused of using Forry to divert $330 million in public funds through commissions.
Several European countries including France and Germany have been investigating whether tens of millions of dollars of the funds allegedly embezzled from the central bank were laundered in Europe.
Last year, French and German authorities issued warrants for his arrest. The Munich prosecutor’s office said in June that German authorities have cancelled their arrest warrant for technical reasons but were continuing their probe and keeping Salameh’s assets frozen.
Source: Reuters news agency (edited by Al-Manar English Website)
