The former Minister of Economy, Amine Salam, during a press conference on September 21, 2024. (Credit: Dalati & Nohra.)
BEIRUT — Judge Claude Ghanem, acting head of State Litigation, filed a complaint on Monday evening against former Economy Minister Amine Salam, following a request from current Economy Minister Amer Bisat, a judicial source told L'Orient Today on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Jamal Hajjar will continue the investigation and transfer the case to his colleague Dora al-Khazen, the current acting financial prosecutor. Salam was interrogated multiple times in May by Judge Hajjar, then released on bail with a requirement to establish residence, while being subject to a travel ban.
The charges target Salam, his brother and associate Karim Salam, his advisor Fadi Tamim, as well as Elie Abboud, a chartered accountant and president of the Chartered Accountants' Syndicate. (Karim) Salam has been detained since April 8 following judicial actions initiated by the financial prosecutor's office. On May 13, the Beirut Court of Accusation, led by Judge Maher Cheaito, overturned a previous decision by the first investigating judge of Beirut, Bilal Halawi, who had ordered the release on bail of (Karim) Salam. Despite an appeal of this decision, the Court upheld the prosecutor's position by deciding to extend his detention.