Lebanon’s Central Bank chief again charged with corruption

Lebanon’s Central Bank chief again charged with corruption

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Central Bank chief was again charged with corruption on Wednesday, this time after failing to show up for questioning before a European legal team visiting Beirut in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor, officials said.

According to the judicial officials, Gov. Riad Salameh, his brother Raja Salameh and an associate, Marianne Hoayek, were charged with corruption and ordered detained. Their assets were also frozen.

The case is separate from other legal proceedings against Salameh underway in Lebanon. In late February, Beirut’s public prosecutor Raja Hamoush charged the three with corruption, including embezzling public funds, forgery, illicit enrichment, money-laundering, and violation of tax laws.

Judge Helena Iskandar, who is representing the Lebanese state at the questioning in the European probe, filed the charges Wednesday against the governor and the other two others, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case.

The European delegation — with representatives from France, Germany, and Luxembourg — spent about two hours at Beirut’s Justice Palace waiting for Salameh. The Europeans were to question Salameh through another Lebanese judge, acting as a go-between. Under Lebanese laws, they cannot directly question Salameh.

Salameh’s lawyer showed up and submitted a petition that his client not be