BEIRUT: Four Lebanese civil servants, including two police officers, and a contractor were charged Tuesday with corruption related to renovation work they allegedly performed at Roumieh prison.
Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim charged two police officers, two employees at the Public Works Ministry and a Lebanese contractor with embezzlement of public funds and negligence of duty.
Ibrahim referred the case to the military prosecutor.
Caretaker Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi said in December that he was waiting for permission to be able to prosecute public servants in the case.
Last year the government allocated $8.5 million to renovate Roumieh jail, which suffers from chronic overcrowding.
Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel inspected the facility last September with renewed indignation at the subpar conditions of Block D.
He complained that the renovations had not prioritized the basic needs of prisoners and that funds had been mismanaged.
Roumieh jail is Lebanon’s largest prison complex.
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04/02/2014
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