The Libyan Minister of Education in the Government of National Unity (GNU), Mousa Al-Mgaryaf, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison by the Tripoli Court of Appeal. The court found him guilty of favouritism and abusing his position in relation to schoolbook printing contracts.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of 1,000 Libyan dinars on Al-Mgaryaf and ruled that he be stripped of his civil rights during his imprisonment and for one year thereafter. The decision marks a significant step in Libya’s efforts to combat corruption within public institutions.
According to a statement issued by the Attorney General’s Office on Sunday, the case was brought against Al-Mgaryaf after investigations revealed that he had violated the principle of equality in the contracting process. Prosecutors accused him of favouring certain companies without legal justification, which amounted to abuse of power.
Initially, the Tripoli Court of Appeal had dismissed the case on procedural grounds, citing the absence of formal authorisation to proceed with legal action. However, the Attorney General’s Office appealed the decision before the Supreme Court, which accepted the appeal, overturned the previous ruling, and referred the case back to a different judicial panel within the Court of Appeal.
After reviewing the evidence and completing legal proceedings, the court found Al-Mgaryaf guilty of the charges and issued its final ruling, the statement said.
