Last week, Judge Ghada Aoun issued a travel ban against Banque du Liban Governor Riad Salameh, prohibiting him from leaving the country via sea, land or air. (Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP)
BEIRUT — Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun issued a decision to freeze all real estate and cars belonging to the Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, the National News Agency reports.
Here’s what we know:
• The asset freezes, according to the NNA, are part of a legal complaint lodged by lawyers belonging to a civil society group on behalf of Lebanese depositors, dubbed the “People Want to Reform the System” group, represented by its lawyers Haitham Ezzo and Pierre Gemayel.
• A judicial source confirmed to L’Orient Today that Judge Ghada Aoun’s ruling can still be appealed by Salameh after he is legally informed of the decision.
• Last week, Judge Ghada Aoun issued a travel ban against Banque du Liban Governor Riad Salameh, prohibiting him from leaving the country via sea, land or air.
• The group filed a complaint against the BDL governor for embezzling and wasting public funds, along with illegal enrichment and money laundering.
• People Want to Reform the System describes itself as an organization working to combat political, financial, security, judiciary and administrative corruption.
• In November, Lichtenstein became the latest jurisdiction to begin an inquiry into shady financial practices involving Salameh, joining France, Luxembourg and Switzerland.