Major General Saad Massoud, known in Libya for his role as President of the Iteehad Football Club, died due to health problems in a Tripoli prison.
Saad Massoud, a former Gaddafi era official, died after being arbitrarily arrested and unlawfully detained since 2011.
The charges against Massoud were based on accusations that he had hired mercenaries to participate in the civil war of 2011 that led to the death of Muammar Qaddafi.
After two trials, Massoud was ruled innocent by Tripoli courts. The office of the Prosecutor General in Tripoli issued two orders for Massoud’s immediate release, however, the armed group holding him at the time refused both court orders.
Massoud was in Al-Radaa prisons and suffered for years from heart and pancreatic issues that were left untreated.
Massoud’s health problems were deemed treatable, however, according to credible sources he was left without treatment until he eventually developed pancreatic cancer, from which he died.
On April 17, the Massoud’s family was told that he had just been admitted to the hospital. When his family arrived to visit moments later, they found out he had already passed on.
Massoud was from southern Libya. His case was racially charged as the official was not active during the Libyan civil war in 2011. No evidence was ever received to support the accusations against him.