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Judge Orders Seizure Of Properties Of MPs Implicated In Aug 4
Two members of parliament who were found to be implicated in the August 4 explosion had their properties seized by judicial authorities yesterday.
Judicial sources speaking to the AFP stated that “judge Najah Itani has issued a temporary seizure order worth 100 billion Lebanese pounds on the property of MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeaiter”
MPs Khalil and Zeaiter, both members of Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement, have refused to cooperate with Judge Tarek Bitar’s probe, filing several complaints to suspend the investigation. The decision to seize their properties comes after the Beirut Bar Association filed a complaint against the MPs for “hindering the investigation.”
The 100 billion Lira compensation sought for is currently equivalent to $66.6 million at the official 1,500 L.L rate, $12.5 million at the banks’ 8000 L.L. rate, and $3.3 million at the black market 30,000 L.L. rate.
According to L’Orient Today, a statement issued by Khalil and Zaeiter’s attorneys stated that the 100 billion figure “is the number claimed by the Prosecution Office of the Bar Association in the lawsuit filed by it against MPs Zeaiter and Khalil … not the real estate value of the house on which the seizure sign is placed.”
The families of the victims of the August 4 explosion have pursued multiple paths to get justice for their loved ones amid the state’s inaction. In July, a $250 million lawsuit was filed in Texas against the charter of the ammonium nitrate-carrying vessel that docked at Beirut’s port.
Two years since the explosion, this appears to be one of the only times high ranking officials have been held somewhat accountable for the explosion. Parliament had elected a supreme council to prosecute involved ministers and MPs last month, but its work seems to be stalled.
We hope justice can be eventually achieved for the 230+ victims of the explosion.
Judicial sources speaking to the AFP stated that “judge Najah Itani has issued a temporary seizure order worth 100 billion Lebanese pounds on the property of MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeaiter”
— LBCI Lebanon News (@LBCI_NEWS) August 10, 2022
MPs Khalil and Zeaiter, both members of Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement, have refused to cooperate with Judge Tarek Bitar’s probe, filing several complaints to suspend the investigation. The decision to seize their properties comes after the Beirut Bar Association filed a complaint against the MPs for “hindering the investigation.”
The 100 billion Lira compensation sought for is currently equivalent to $66.6 million at the official 1,500 L.L rate, $12.5 million at the banks’ 8000 L.L. rate, and $3.3 million at the black market 30,000 L.L. rate.
According to L’Orient Today, a statement issued by Khalil and Zaeiter’s attorneys stated that the 100 billion figure “is the number claimed by the Prosecution Office of the Bar Association in the lawsuit filed by it against MPs Zeaiter and Khalil … not the real estate value of the house on which the seizure sign is placed.”
—) (@Moossalemeh) August 10, 2022
The families of the victims of the August 4 explosion have pursued multiple paths to get justice for their loved ones amid the state’s inaction. In July, a $250 million lawsuit was filed in Texas against the charter of the ammonium nitrate-carrying vessel that docked at Beirut’s port.
Two years since the explosion, this appears to be one of the only times high ranking officials have been held somewhat accountable for the explosion. Parliament had elected a supreme council to prosecute involved ministers and MPs last month, but its work seems to be stalled.
We hope justice can be eventually achieved for the 230+ victims of the explosion.
