Raja Salamé, brother of the governor of the Banque du Liban, was arrested

Banque du Liban Governor Riad Salamé in Beirut on December 20, 2021. © JOSEPH EID/AFP

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A Lebanese anti-corruption judge, Ghada Aoun, ordered this Thursday, March 17 the arrest of Raja Salamé, brother of the governor of the Banque du Liban Riad Salamé, on suspicion of money laundering, fraud and illicit enrichment. .

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

The noose is tightening around the head of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salamé.

He is the subject with his brother Raja

in Lebanon, Switzerland, France and Luxembourg, in cases of embezzlement, money laundering and illicit enrichment.

Lawyer Nizar Saghiyé, president of the anti-corruption NGO Legal Agenda, considered that “

 ”.

Raja Salamé was arrested after three hours of questioning by Judge Ghada Aoun over a case of suspicious transfers of $330 million, under a brokerage contract between Banque du Liban and a company registered in the British Virgin Islands , of which he is the economic beneficiary.

Still at the head of the Banque du Liban, despite the investigations

Riad Salamé, who denies all the charges against him, is subject to a travel ban issued by Ghada Aoun.

In January, he refused to appear before the judge.

Armed with an arrest warrant, police had searched his offices at the Central Bank and two of his residences without being able to locate him.

Despite its legal troubles, Riad Salamé continues to make controversial monetary and financial decisions in a country hit by the worst economic crisis in its history.

►Also read: In Lebanon, nearly half of the population requests emergency social assistance

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