The Libyan Public Prosecution has referred a security officer from the Public Security and Security Centres Department to the judiciary in connection with the killing of an Al-Ittihad basketball fan.
The Libyan Attorney General’s Office stated that the decision followed the completion of investigations by the Bab Ben Ghashir Prosecution Office into the incident. Consequently, the Public Prosecution decided to press charges and bring the case before the court against the officer.
The prosecution’s statement also indicated that a separate request was made to try another officer who misled the investigation regarding the killing linked to his colleague.
The sports community was shaken on 15 May 2023, by the tragic death of Al-Ittihad fan Abdulmohimen Al-Falah, who was fatally shot following a match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahly Benghazi in the quarter-finals of the basketball league finals in Tripoli.
On 25 May, the Attorney General’s Office announced in a statement that the perpetrator had been detained. The investigation identified the shooter as a member of the Ministry of Interior who was tasked with securing the location of the incident. According to the statement, the perpetrator admitted to firing a shot at the vehicle carrying the victim after hearing offensive language from an unidentified person.
The incident prompted widespread reactions and solidarity from several clubs, including Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahly Benghazi, Al-Ahly Tripoli, and Al-Madina, who offered their condolences to the victim’s family and the Al-Ittihad club. The Libyan Basketball Federation also expressed its condolences to Al-Falah’s family and Al-Ittihad club, according to a statement posted on its Facebook page.
