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Lebanon Judge Sets March 15 Hearing for Central Bank Chief in Graft Probe

Lebanon's Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)
Lebanon's Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)
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Lebanon Judge Sets March 15 Hearing for Central Bank Chief in Graft Probe

Lebanon's Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)
Lebanon's Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)

A Lebanese investigative judge has scheduled a March 15 hearing for Lebanese Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh as part of a cross-border corruption probe into Salameh and close associates, a judicial source said.

Judge Charbel Abu Samra took over the case late last month after another judge charged Salameh with embezzlement, illicit enrichment and money laundering. Charges were also filed against his brother, Raja, and an assistant, Marianne Howayek.

They all deny the charges against them.

Abu Samra on Monday met representatives of three European countries also probing Salameh, with which Lebanon has pledged to cooperate - Germany, France and Luxembourg.

He informed them that he had not yet fully studied the contents of the file, comprising four boxes, and that it would take time to do so, the judicial source said.

Abu Samra appointed three financial experts to study the file with him, the source added.

The charges against Salameh are the product of an 18-month probe into whether Salameh and his brother, Raja, embezzled more than $300 million from the Central Bank between 2002 and 2015.

Judicial authorities in at least five European countries are investigating the Salameh brothers over the same allegations.

Salameh, central bank governor since 1993, still enjoys backing from powerful Lebanese leaders. Many judges largely owe their appointments to politicians.

He was charged last year over illicit enrichment in a case related to the purchase and rental of Paris apartments, including some to Lebanon's Central Bank.

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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Temporary Ceasefire Call Marks Victory for Beirut Efforts

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on September 26, 2024 (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on September 26, 2024 (AFP)
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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Temporary Ceasefire Call Marks Victory for Beirut Efforts

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on September 26, 2024 (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on September 26, 2024 (AFP)

Lebanese political and diplomatic activity is intensifying after the release of an “international-Arab call” for a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza.
“The key lies in implementation,” Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat, describing the call itself “a victory for Lebanon’s efforts.”
Berri highlighted the role of major players, especially the US, in convincing Israel to accept the ceasefire.
He pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “says one thing and its opposite,” while stressing that Lebanon is committed to the call’s principles and ready to act.
“There is no problem on the Lebanese side, as the international joint statement addressed both Gaza and Lebanon together,” Berri stressed.
A Lebanese source involved in negotiations at the UN indicated that the obstinacy of both Israel and Hezbollah had blocked a proposed solution.

Now, efforts are focused on establishing a temporary ceasefire to allow for negotiations regarding the crisis that erupted when Hezbollah, backed by Iran, engaged with Israel to support Gaza.
The source explained that the proposed solution involved a new UN resolution to reinforce Resolution 1701, effective since the end of the 2006 Lebanon War.
However, Hezbollah’s insistence on linking a ceasefire in Gaza to this proposal and Israel’s refusal to do so thwarted the plan.
The source expressed hope for a three-week temporary ceasefire, with negotiations led by US envoy Amos Hochstein between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
In New York, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati held diplomatic discussions aimed at stopping the Israeli offensive against Lebanon, engaging with European and Arab officials during his visit.
Reports suggested that Mikati had “signed a proposed ceasefire agreement” after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and mediator Amos Hochstein.
However, the Prime Minister’s office denied these claims, asserting that they are “entirely untrue.”
The office reminded the public of Mikati’s remarks after the joint call initiated by the US and France, supported by the European Union and several countries, aimed at establishing a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon.
“We welcome the statement, but the crucial factor lies in Israel's commitment to implementing international resolutions,” said Mikati.
New York Meetings
Mikati met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who outlined Cyprus’s efforts to support Lebanon and facilitate a ceasefire, including his talks with Netanyahu.
The Lebanese premier also discussed the situation in Lebanon and the region with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, highlighting Britain’s efforts to stop the fighting.
Additionally, Mikati met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, thanking Qatar for its support of Lebanon, particularly for its backing of the Lebanese army.
The Qatari Prime Minister briefed Mikati on ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and Qatar’s role in the international committee working to elect a new president for Lebanon.