The judge leading the Lebanese investigation into the deadly explosion of August 4 in the port of Beirut wants investigations to be carried out against three ministers for their possible responsibility in this disaster, announced Tuesday (November 24) a judicial source.
Read also: In Beirut, the anger intact of the victims of the explosion
Judge Fadi Sawan demanded in a letter to parliament - a body of which is empowered to prosecute members of the government - the opening of an investigation into the Minister of Public Works and Transport Michel Najjar as well as those of Finance Ghazi Wazni and Justice Marie-Claude Najm, according to the same source.
He also asked him to consider the role of several other people who have held the same ministerial positions in the three previous governments.
The investigations which Judge Sawan himself carried out gave rise to
"certain suspicions as to the responsibility of these ministers and their failures in the management of the presence in the port of ammonium nitrate"
including the explosion of hundreds of tons killed more than 200 and injured thousands and devastated a large part of the capital, added this source.
Read also: Beirut: questions on the independence of the judges investigating the port explosion
Lebanese officials have rejected the idea of an international investigation into the case, despite calls in Lebanon and abroad for independent investigations.
The government resigned after the tragedy, but continues to deal with day-to-day business, with a new one still not being able to be formed.
As part of the ongoing investigation, twenty-five people have so far been arrested.
