Libya’s Public Prosecution ordered the imprisonment of the Chargé d’Affairs of the Libyan Mission to Argentina, pending investigation on charges of misuse of his position.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office explained that it investigated the incident of abuse of office, attributed to the mission official.
In a statement, the Office of the Attorney General detailed the findings of the investigation. It revealed that the official had “exceeded his role by authorizing the financial controller appointed by the state, in which the mission operates.”
Additionally, the official was found to have “violated the protocols for reviewing financial operations by exclusively managing the mission’s bank accounts, even after the termination of his official relationship.”
As a result of these revelations, the investigator handling the case has ordered the official’s pretrial detention, while the investigation proceeds. Furthermore, a criminal accounting examination has been initiated to scrutinize the expenditures of the mission.
The Office of the Attorney General affirmed its commitment to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation, ensuring that justice is served.
Notably, the Attorney General, Al-Siddiq Al-Sour is leading a campaign against corruption in the Libyan state institutions. Dozens of officials and diplomats were arrested in connection with embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of power. Libyan banking officials were also arrested over embezzlement charges.
In December 2021, the Education Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Ali Al-Zanati was detained as part of an investigation into corruption. This was related to the delay in the supply of school textbooks in the country.
After almost a year, Al-Zanati was released and announced his resignation via a video recording.
“It is difficult for me to continue as health minister in the GNU, whose mandate expired according to the Geneva political agreement, and the legislative authority,” Al-Zanati said.
The Minister indicated that Libya is “suffering from severe political divisions amid a lack of political consensus and national unity,” stressing that the “country is heading toward further division and fragmentation.”
