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Sacked Bahrain Minister Denies Money Laundering Reports | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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DUBAI (AFP) – Bahrain’s sacked state minister Mansur bin Rajab denied on Tuesday involvement in money laundering activities that local media have suggested was the reason for his dismissal.

Interviewed on the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television channel, Rajab rejected the accusations as “unfounded,” insisting that he was removed from his post by King Hamad on Monday “to facilitate the current inquiry” into a money laundering affair that Bahrain has been investigating since early last year.

“We abide by the rule of law and no one is above the law,” said the former minister.

The interior ministry said last Friday it had detained a “Bahraini official” on money laundering charges the previous day before turning the matter over to prosecutors.

The suspect was later released for “health reasons,” said Bahrain’s daily Al-Ayyam newspaper.

Media reports identified the man as Rajab, who admitted to being questioned by police on Saturday and whom Al-Ayyam newspaper said was suspected of having laundered more than 12 million Bahraini dinars (31.6 million dollars).