The Libyan Public Prosecutor ordered Tuesday the detention of the former First Deputy Prime Minister of the Interim Libyan Government and the former Minister of Interior, Al-Siddiq Karim, pending investigation in several cases that had cost the Libyan state over 1.7 billion dinars.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office said that the detention came as a result of Karim’s violation of the rules governing contracting, in addition to circumventing the control procedures entrusted to the Audit Bureau by dividing the procedures for direct appointment issued to 11 companies and to the same 121 companies.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office added that Karim was faced with the charges including contracts to import low-quality commodities that were bought for high prices, thus squandering the contract money without permission from the Audit Bureau. He was also shown evidence that revealed the truth behind his assistance to one of his friends to help him get public funds illegally.
The Office indicated that Karim was also charged with abusing his job authority and then pleaded guilty after experts from judicial research unveiled that his behavior led to the squandering of 230.189.000 dinars.
