Misrata – The Counselor and Attorney General of the Misrata Court of Appeal circuit, Abdullatif Al-Hammali, has issued strict instructions to security services to confront illegal financial practices that have exploited the recent liquidity crisis in Libyan banks.
The Attorney General sent an official letter to the Joint Operations Force, the Criminal Investigation Department branch, and the Law Enforcement Administration branch in the Central Region, demanding immediate action to stop serious violations, which include usurious transactions and the exploitation of citizens’ needs.
The circular confirmed that a number of merchants and influential individuals are issuing post-dated bank checks in exchange for deducting high amounts in advance, sometimes reaching 800 dinars for every 1,000 dinars of the check’s value, which is a clear violation of existing legislation and a crime of usury.
Counselor Al-Hammali stressed the necessity of apprehending those involved in these operations, monitoring their movements, and taking deterrent legal measures, while requiring the security agencies to provide him with regular updates on the measures being taken.
This move comes as part of the Public Prosecution’s efforts to curb the exploitation of the difficult economic conditions citizens are facing, to stop financial practices that harm the banking system and exacerbate their suffering, and to combat the phenomenon of usury that has begun to spread noticeably in society, thereby contributing to the protection of the national economy and the promotion of financial justice.