ALBAWABA - The Lebanese judiciary launched a probe into the embezzlement of $318,000 from the country's embassy in Ukraine, a judicial official told AFP on Monday.
Ambassador of Lebanon in Ukraine Ali Daher will also be investigated over the money embezzlement along with his assistant, sources revealed. Daher was recalled to Lebanon and won't be able to leave until the probe is finalized.
اختلاس ٣١٨ ألف دولار من أموال السفارة اللبنانية في اوكرانيا من قبل القيمين عليها هو خير دليل على "زبائنية" التعيينات والفساد في وزارة الخارجية التي أحكم قبضته عليها "التيار القوي" منذ بداية "العهد القوي!" pic.twitter.com/0sCz1VfvEi
— Charbel Eid?? (@MeCharbelEid) April 3, 2023
The assistant disappeared upon arrival to Lebanon but the court issued a travel ban against him and his Ukrainian wife.
The Lebanese official said that a suspicious situation surrounded the Lebanese embassy in Ukraine after financial irregularities came to light in September then an investigation was launched.
According to the judicial official, Lebanon's foreign ministry had "failed to notice or investigate the missing funds."
Initial reports showed that the money was transferred to a Ukrainian bank account belonging to the embassy employee, who claimed the funds had been sent to Beirut.
