Former justice minister Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi accused on Monday Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil of corruption and of being “responsible for the theft of $26 billion.”
“The spoiled child and wonderkid Minister Jebran Bassil is boasting and acting as if he’s done us a favor by inaugurating an electrical substation in Tripoli which took seven years in the making although it should have only taken seven months,” Rifi said about Basil who also heads up the Free Patriotic Movement .
“I tell Jebran Bassil, ‘Your party has assumed the responsibility of the ministry of energy and electricity for more than 12 years now and the deficit has exceeded $26 billion because of the FPM,’” the ex-minister charged.
“This is the money of our children and we will hold you accountable like and we demand the return of the funds to the Lebanese treasury,” Rifi vowed.
Rifi challenged Basil to meet in court over corruption :
“These billions are going to the pockets of electricity mafias. Today Lebanon needs 4,000 megawatts which do not cost more than $4 billion. Where is financial accountability? You say that you will sue us if we accuse you of corruption and I dare you to meet us in court.”
“The FPM and Jebran Bassil are responsible for the theft of $26 billion and after the elections we will demand the prosecution of the corrupts,” Rifi went on to say.
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