20 Sep 2021; MEMO: A leaked audio recording of the Prime Minister of Libya's interim Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, in which he questioned the Egyptian judiciary's integrity could ignite a diplomatic crisis with Cairo.
In the leaked audio recording, possibly recorded during an official meeting with the Egyptian prime minister, Dbeibeh is heard asking the Egyptian government to intervene in a case involving the Libyan State and a Kuwaiti company before the Egyptian judiciary.
"Do not allow injustice against us or our people. This is the Libyan people's money, and we cannot, in any way, be silent about it and let it go, whether by courts which issue rulings or by the fraud of some Libyans or by any other party," Dbeibeh is heard saying.
Dbeibeh was referring to the judicial dispute between the Libyan State and Kuwaiti Al-Kharafi Construction company, which dates back to 2010 when the Gaddafi-led government withdrew 60 acres of land in the Tajura area of the capital Tripoli from the Kuwaiti company after it had acquired on a 90-year lease.
The dispute was transferred to the Egyptian courts, which ruled in favour of the Kuwaiti group. Libya was asked to pay compensation of $1 billion, which was rejected by the Libyan government who appealed before the court of cassation and demanded the Egyptian government's intervention in the case.
Dbeibeh said in the leaked recording that Al-Kharafi Company came from Kuwait to Libya with 50 million Libyan dinars or less to present the project.
"Not even a single nail was implemented in Libya. These numbers and these cases had been manipulated, and the judgments by the Egyptian courts amounted to $1 billion" he further protested.
