The Indictment Chamber in Beirut, headed by Judge Kamal Nassar, approved the release of former Economy Minister Amin Salam on bail of 9 billion Lebanese pounds, equivalent to approximately 100,000 US dollars.
The chamber overturned the decision of Beirut’s First Investigating Judge, Rola Othman, who had refused to release him. Salam was released after six months in detention, according to the National News Agency.
The former minister was arrested and charged last June after an investigation into alleged financial crimes.
He was detained after a three-hour interrogation about illegal use of ministry funds and use of suspicious contracts. The three judicial officials and one security official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, A P reported .
Salam was charged with forgery, embezzlement, and misuse of public funds. Local media said it was related to alleged extortion of private insurance companies and using funds from a committee that supervises those companies for his own expenses.
(An Nahar)