The Attorney General at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal, Ghada Aoun. (Credit: Marie-Jo Sader/L'Orient-Le Jour))
BEIRUT — Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri filed a complaint on Wednesday against Mount Lebanon's Public Prosecutor Ghada Aoun, Berri's office announced in a statement, information which was also confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour by a source close to Berri.
The complaint comes in response to a tweet by the judge of an image of a list of names of Lebanese officials who allegedly have Swiss bank accounts frozen by the US administration, including Berri and his wife, Randa Berri.
The image in question, which is not dated, includes the names of 17 Lebanese political figures who, according to the judge, are unable to withdraw funds from their frozen accounts. The image also included the balance of these accounts.
"I don't know how true this information is. But why don't the people whose names are on this list disclose their accounts in Swiss banks? Only for the sake of transparency!" Judge Aoun tweeted. "I hope this will pave the way for a law on lifting bank secrecy," she added.
The list of names includes former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati and his brother, businessman Taha Mikati, Governor of Banque Du Liban Riad Salameh, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, and MP Paula Yacoubian.
Shortly after, Judge Aoun deleted her tweet. She could not be immediately reached for comment by L'Orient-Le Jour.
'She does what she wants'
Following the tweet, Berri "immediately" filed a complaint via his lawyer to the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation, Ghassan Oueidate, according to the channel NBN, which is owned by the Parliament Speaker. According to the text of the complaint, the grounds are defamation, incitement to religious discord, slander and abuse of power.
A source close to Berri said the complaint is "the least we can do."
"A judge should not publish such information online. On what basis does [Judge Aoun] make these accusations? She should be able to back up her statements. It's been six years that she does what she wants," said the source, adding a call for Aoun "to be prosecuted by the Supreme Council of the Judiciary."
Ghada Aoun was referred to the Judicial Inspection in April 2021 after her highly-publicized searches at the headquarters of the company Mecattaf, in Aoukar, north of Beirut. She also refused to comply with a decision by General Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidate to remove her from financial crimes cases.
The magistrate — who has prosecuted several officials in recent years, including Riad Salameh and the Mikati brothers — is often at the center of judicial turmoil and is known for her affiliation with the Free Patriotic Movement, founded by former President Michel Aoun founded and headed by his son-in-law, Gebran Bassil.