Report: Rifi to Attend Cabinet Session after Samaha File Placed on Agenda

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi will attend a cabinet session set to be held on Thursday after the case of former Minister Michel Samaha was put on its agenda, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

Last week, Rifi stormed out of the session to express resentment of the government’s failure to discuss a bill proposed by him.

But the daily said on Wednesday that Rifi will attend Thursday’s session after his bill on the transfer of Samaha’s case to the Judicial Council was placed on the cabinet agenda.

Samaha, who was information minister from 1992 to 1995, was released last month in exchange for a bail payment of 150 million Lebanese pounds.

The ex-minister was arrested in August 2012 and charged with attempting to carry out "terrorist acts." He was sentenced in May 2015 to four-and-half years in prison, but in June, the Cassation Court nullified the verdict and ordered a retrial.

The decision to release Samaha on bail angered Rifi, prompting him to propose the transfer of the case to the Judicial Council.

G.K.

D.A.