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BEIRUT — Authorities on Thursday released 13 public servants who were detained for alleged corruption in Dekwaneh and Ouzai Vehicle Registration Centers outside Beirut, a judicial source told L'Orient-Le Jour Friday.
The detainees were reportedly freed on the orders of the first investigating judge of Mount Lebanon, Nicolas Mansour.
"They are officials accused of minor offenses who were receiving bribes from brokers and were released after paying 200 million Lebanese lira of bail each," the judicial source said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak with the press. "They have already been jailed for three months and will be banned from returning to work within four months."
Mount Lebanon prosecutor Ghada Aoun had initially appealed against Judge Mansour's decision, but he won his case after the prosecution led by Judge Rabih Houssami approved it.
Numerous arrest warrants have been issued in recent months as part of a wide-ranging investigation into corruption in the Vehicle Registration Centers. Several high-ranking employees are being prosecuted, including the director general of the Road Traffic Department, Hoda Salloum.
Arrests have also been made recently among employees of the Mount Lebanon cadastres. Officials in those departments, especially in Baabda and Metn, who allegedly amassed huge sums through bribes from taxpayers, are currently being prosecuted.
"In total, 110 people are still under arrest, in the cases of the vehicle registration centers and land registries," said the judicial source, adding that the arrests have even extended to administrators in the regions of Chouf and Aley.