Riad Salameh, the Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank, was questioned for the first time in a hearing on charges of embezzlement, money laundering, and bribery.
According to the Xinhua news agency, European officials who visited Lebanon as part of their investigation into whether Salameh embezzled $300 million from the central bank with the help of his brother attended the hearing on Thursday.
Salameh did not show up for a scheduled hearing on Wednesday, claiming that the presence of foreign officials breaches Lebanon’s sovereignty.
The assigned Lebanese judge rejected this reasoning and adjourned the case until Thursday.
Salameh, one of the top Lebanese officials responsible for the extraordinary financial crisis, has been the subject of various legal proceedings both at home and abroad.
Yet, he has disputed all of the claims levelled against him.
