Lebanese State files lawsuit against Central Bank Governor and others

On March 15, 2023, the Lebanese state, represented by the head of the Judiciary at the Ministry of Justice, Judge Helena Iskandar, filed a personal lawsuit against the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, his brother Raja Salameh, Marianne El-Howayek, and anyone implicated in the investigation. 

This comes in response to the Public Prosecutor's Office in Beirut's appeal, which was submitted to the first investigating judge in Beirut, Sharbel Abu Samra, for charges of bribery, forgery, use of falsified documents, money laundering, illegal enrichment, and tax evasion.

The state requested the following: "Firstly, to arrest and confiscate their real estate properties, freeze their bank accounts and the accounts of their minor children and spouses to prevent them from disposing of them to protect the rights of the Lebanese state. Secondly, to issue an indictment against them and refer the case to the Criminal Court in Beirut to impose the harshest penalties due to the seriousness of the crimes alleged against them while reserving the right to determine personal compensation before the civil court. Third, to provide a copy of the lawsuit to the Special Investigation Commission at the Central Bank of Lebanon through the General Prosecutor's Office to freeze the accounts of the accused and their minor children and spouses in Lebanese and foreign banks. Finally, to put a sign on the real estate properties of the accused to prevent them from disposing of them."

The lawsuit is a major development in the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and money laundering in Lebanon. It is also a significant step towards holding high-ranking officials accountable for their alleged involvement in these crimes. 

The case is expected to attract a lot of attention from the media and the public, and how the accused will respond to the charges remains to be seen.