“French Judiciary Summons Lebanon Central Bank Governor’s Brother in Embezzlement Case”

This content was published on May 22, 2023 – July 19:15,

May 22, 2023 – 19:15

BEIRUT/PARIS (Reuters) – Two informed sources told Reuters on Monday that the French judiciary has summoned and assisted the brother of the Central Bank of Lebanon governor, Riad Salameh, as he continues his investigation into allegations of embezzlement and money laundering against Salameh.

Salameh, his assistant Marian Al-Hweik, and his brother Raja are facing investigations in Lebanon, France and other countries for allegedly taking hundreds of millions of funds from the Central Bank.

The brothers deny any wrongdoing. Lawyers for Raja and Al-Huwaik did not respond to separate requests for comment.

A source close to Reuters said in an interview that France has scheduled a hearing in Paris for Raja on May 31 and for Lahouik on June 13. A Lebanese judicial source confirmed to Reuters that the Lebanese judiciary had received the summons and was working to hand them over.

France last week issued an arrest warrant for Salameh, 72, after he refused to attend his hearing in Paris. The International Police Service (Interpol) later issued a Red Notice.

Caretaker Minister of Justice Henry Khoury told Al-Jadeed TV that he feared that more foreign countries would follow the example of France and direct their accusations against Salameh, which could have “repercussions” on the country’s financial situation. Lebanon has already been suffering from a deteriorating financial situation since 2019.

“That is why the ruler must realize this matter and resign on his own,” Khoury added.

Thus, Khoury added his voice to the voices of the deputy prime minister in the caretaker government and the interior minister, who said last week that Salameh should step down.

Two government sources told Reuters that the cabinet met on Monday afternoon to discuss how the charges against Salame would affect the Lebanese state and what legal options it might have to remove him.

Two government sources said in separate statements that the meeting did not produce any tangible results. A statement issued after the meeting said the cabinet would support any measure decided by the judiciary.

Raja, Riyad and Al-Hawik have already been charged in two separate cases in Lebanon related to embezzlement and other financial crimes, but neither has been detained.

(Press coverage for the Arabic Bulletin, Laila Bassam from Beirut – Prepared by Mohamed Attia for the Arabic Bulletin – Edited by Ayman Saad Muslim)