Former Libyan Airlines chairman held over corruption allegations
Libyan prosecutors have ordered the pretrial detention of a former Libyan Airlines board chairman accused of embezzling company funds, including money paid by pilgrims and trainee pilots.
A former chairman of the board of Libyan Airlines has been ordered into pretrial detention, the country's anti-corruption prosecution authority said. He is accused of misappropriating funds belonging to the state carrier.
Prosecutors said the former official diverted around five million Libyan dinars from payments made by pilgrims in 2017 and 2018. The money had reportedly been collected for travel arrangements, not for other uses.
He is also accused of misusing $30,000, roughly €25,700, paid by 33 pilots for specialized training. Investigators say those funds were not spent for their intended purpose.
The anti-corruption prosecutor's office said its investigation is continuing. It gave no further details on when charges might be formally filed or when a trial could take place.
Libyan Airlines has not issued a public statement on the case. The prosecutor's announcement did not disclose the identity of the accused. The airline has faced years of operational difficulties tied to Libya's broader political instability, though this case concerns alleged financial wrongdoing rather than flight operations.
The prosecutor's statement gave no details on the accused's current legal representation or a hearing date.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comEx-Chef von Libyan Airlines wegen Korruptionsverdachts in Untersuchungshaft