Officials, including Derna’s mayor, Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi, have been arrested in Libya, where the city has been devastated by intense flooding. These officials are facing charges connected to the calamitous disaster that claimed thousands of lives in eastern Libya earlier this month.
Last week, in a display of anger and frustration, residents of Derna set fire to the mayor’s residence as a form of protest.
The attorney general’s office, based in the capital city of Tripoli, announced on Monday that these officials, including Mr. al-Ghaithi, were “responsible for managing the country’s dam facilities” and, as a result, were the subjects of a criminal case. Some of these officials were already in custody awaiting trial.
In a statement issued on Monday, the attorney general’s office detailed numerous alleged failings by these officials. These included mismanaging funds designated for dam maintenance, which ultimately led to dam breaches and the catastrophic floods in Derna. Additionally, the officials were accused of negligence, which resulted in flood-related deaths and substantial economic losses for Libya. Mr. al-Ghaithi faces further accusations of abusing his authority.
Libya is divided into two rival administrations, one in the east and one in the west. Given the attorney general’s location in Tripoli in the west, it raises questions about the extent to which he can order arrests in the eastern region.
As of Sunday, the eastern government reported that the confirmed death toll from the floods had risen to 3,868. The attorney general’s office indicated that investigations into other officials were ongoing, suggesting the possibility of further arrests.