Banque du Liban Governor Riad Salameh. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — The lead investigating judge at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeals, Nicolas Mansour, delayed on Thursday central bank Governor Riad Salameh’s questioning date until June 9, a judicial source told L’Orient Today.
Here’s what we know:
• Salameh’s new questioning date was set by Mansour after the Banque Du Liban governor missed a hearing scheduled for Thursday. Mansour has given 10 days for Salameh’s attorney, Chaouki Azan, to file a formal complaint against the suit.
• Riad Salameh is implicated in several investigations, notably in France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In Lebanon, Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun reputed to be close to the presidential camp, recently accused Riad Salameh and his entourage for illicit enrichment in connection to apartments acquired in France by the governor of the BDL, as well as real estate offices rented by the central bank from a former companion of the governor on the avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. His brother, Raja Salameh is also being prosecuted for his involvement in this investigation, as is Anna Kosakova, the former companion in question. Three companies, SCI ZEL, Eciffice and BET SA, are also being prosecuted in this context. On Thursday, Judge Aoun on Wednesday rejected the request for the release of Raja Salameh, brother of the governor of the Banque du Liban (BDL), who had been arrested two weeks ago.