Beirut, Mar 17 (IANS): Lebanese Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh was questioned for the first time in a hearing over charges of embezzlement of funds, money laundering and bribery.
The hearing on Thursday was attended by European officials who visited Lebanon as part of their probe into whether Salameh embezzled $300 million Ufrom the central bank with the help of his brother, reports Xinhua news agency.
Salameh failed to appear for a scheduled hearing on Wednesday, while his lawyer argued that the attendance of foreign officials violates Lebanon's sovereignty.
This argument was rejected by the assigned Lebanese judge, who rescheduled the hearing for Thursday.
Salameh, who is among the top Lebanese officials blamed for the unprecedented financial crisis, has been the target of several judicial lawsuits at home and abroad.
But he has denied the multiple charges against him.