The Libyan judiciary has recently ruled on a corruption case involving Moussa Al-Maqrif, Minister of Education in the Government of National Unity.
He has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for favoritism and nepotism in the awarding of contracts for the production of school textbooks. This verdict concludes a lengthy legal process highlighting issues of transparency and fairness in public procurement.
In a statement issued this Sunday, the Office of the Attorney General specified that proceedings were initiated after it was established that the minister had violated the principle of equality in awarding public contracts. He is accused of exerting pressure in favor of certain companies during tenders for textbook printing, thereby distorting competition and diverting procedures for personal or partisan purposes.
The case was initially deemed inadmissible by the Tripoli Court of Appeal, due to the absence of prior authorization to prosecute a sitting minister. However, the prosecutor’s office challenged this decision before the Supreme Court, which ultimately ordered the case to be reopened. Referred back to the Court of Appeal, the case was re-examined, resulting in the confirmation of the charges against Moussa Al-Maqrif.
During the final hearing, the judges confirmed the minister’s guilt. In addition to his prison sentence, he was fined 1,000 dinars and banned from exercising certain civil rights for the duration of his sentence. Beyond the personal implications for the minister, this judicial decision sends a strong message to Libyan public officials about the importance of adhering to rules in the management of public resources.
In addition, another former senior official, Sadiq Abdelkarim, former deputy prime minister, was recently sentenced to five years in prison for similar offenses.