Libya’s Attorney General has ordered the pretrial detention of a former chairman of Libyan Airlines over corruption and embezzlement allegations. The case centres on claims that company funds and operations were diverted for personal gain, including money linked to pilgrim ticket payments and pilot training, in a probe handled in Benghazi.
Investigators allege that about 5 million Libyan dinars were received from pilgrims in 2017 and 2018 and then misappropriated, while a separate $30,000 payment from 33 pilots for specialised training was also taken. The anti-corruption prosecution unit within the Benghazi Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction reviewed the financial and administrative conduct of the former board chief before the detention order was issued.
The case adds to scrutiny of governance in Libya’s state-linked aviation sector, where revenue handling and oversight of public assets have long been under pressure. Libyan Airlines has faced repeated questions over financial controls, and the investigation highlights how passenger-related receipts and staff training funds were managed during the chairman’s tenure.