HRC Chief, Wife Charged with Embezzlement of Public Funds and Money Laundering

The Financial General Prosecutor charged on Wednesday Higher Relief Council Chief Ibrahim Bashir and his wife with embezzlement of public funds and money laundering.

Judge Ali Ibrahim referred both suspects to Beirut's First Investigative Judge Ghassan Oueidat, demanding their detention.

Bashir and his wife were also charged with smuggling money, facing 15 years in prison if convicted.

The owner of Vaocau company, Hussein Fawaz, and his wife were also charged with the two suspects.

On Monday, Acting General Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud ordered the arrest of Bashir and his wife for their alleged embezzlement of $10 million from public funds pending investigation, after probing the case that was referred by a special committee at the Banque du Liban.

Bashir and his wife gave their testimonies on Monday afternoon and were referred to Judge Ibrahim.

Bashir had denied on Friday that he has embezzled $ 10 million from public funds, accusing the caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and the cabinet's secretary-general of trying to “eliminate him.”

“Since I took the office there hasn't been harmony with the cabinet's secretary-general, Suhail Bouji, because the Council strives now to serve all the Lebanese while they want it to cater to Sunnis only,” he said.

"After I took office, I made sure the HRC serves all the Lebanese,” Bashir said.

However, investigations come in light of Miqati's warning on Saturday that “haphazard accusations” by Bashir are punishable by law, revealing that he will take all the necessary “legal and judicial measures and procedures towards (Bashir's) irresponsible defamation.”

He noted that a copy of his “warning” will be sent to the Public Prosecution, along with Bashir's statement, for investigation.

“Launching haphazard accusations is punishable by the penal code and it is a desperate attempt to change the case's path." he said in an open letter.

Miqati continued: “It is also a failed attempt to politicize and doubt the investigation committee's decision that is probing the incident.”