BEIRUT: Beirut’s Criminal Court approved Tuesday the release on bail of Ibrahim Bashir, the former head of the Higher Relief Committee, almost two years after he was convicted of embezzling public funds, a judicial source said.
His bail was set at LL1 billion ($665,120).
Bashir’s lawyer requested replacing bail with real estate that is valued at approximately the same price, and offered the court the deed to the property. The issue was referred to the Financial Prosecutor’s Office for further consideration.
In November 2013, Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim charged Bashir, his wife Raja, businessman Hussein Fawwaz and his wife, who was not identified, with illegally transferring public money to private accounts abroad.
Media reports said Bashir had transferred an estimated $10 million in public funds to private accounts abroad.
In one transaction, some $3.6 million were allegedly transferred to an account in Belarus, where his two sons reside.
Then in March 2014, Lebanon issued arrest warrants for Bashir’s two sons on charges of embezzlement and money laundering.
Last December, Beirut’s criminal court ordered the release of the wife of the former HRC chief.
Judge Burkan Saad approved the request to release her on bail which was set at LL500 million.
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