Banque Du Liban Governor Riad Salameh. (Credit: Illustration photo by Guilhem Dorandeu, based on a photo by João Sousa and AFP)
BEIRUT — The General Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Ghassan Oueidat, summoned Banque Du Liban (BDL) Governor Riad Salameh to a hearing on Wednesday, a senior judicial source confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour.
Last week, Lebanon received an Interpol red notice for Salameh after a French judge issued an international warrant for his arrest.
According to the senior judicial source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Court of Cassation intends to question Salameh as an "accused." Judge Oueidat will assign either Mirna Kallas or Imad Kabalan, both attorneys general at the Court of Cassation, to conduct the interrogation, the source added.
Salameh is the subject of several investigations in both Lebanon and Europe, where he is suspected of building up real estate and banking assets through complex illicit financial arrangements and massive misappropriation of public funds. Salameh has repeatedly denied these accusations.
After the international arrest warrant was issued by French investigating judge Aude Buresi, Salameh said he planned to appeal the decision. Two days later, he indicated that he would resign "if a judgment was rendered" against him, but intends to leave his post when his term ends on July 31 regardless of any such judgment.
Salameh also said he would appeal the Interpol red notice.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called his ministerial team to a consultative meeting on Monday afternoon to discuss Salameh's resignation.
Also on Monday, caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury called on Salameh to resign, saying that his prosecution in France could have repercussions on Lebanon's "monetary situation."
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Chami called for Salameh's resignation last Thursday, followed by caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, who called the resignation "necessary."