On 10 April, the Criminal Department of the Tripoli Court of Appeal sentenced seven individuals for their involvement in the attempted assassination of Abdul Majeed Mleqta, an advisor to PM Abdul Hameed Dabaiba. Among those convicted, the first defendant received an 11-year prison term, while the second and third defendants were sentenced to seven years each. The fourth defendant was given a five-year sentence, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh defendants were sentenced to one year each. In part, the sentences were for prison with hard labour. However, it seems these sentences were issued in absentia, with many of the individuals currently detained in Tunisia.
Notably, one of the defendants who received seven years is Mohammed Hussein al-Ayeb, the son of the Director of the Libyan General Intelligence Service Lieutenant-General Hussein Mohammad al Ayeb. He played a significant role in orchestrating the attack. The court convicted him of forming a ‘criminal gang’ and for causing significant damage to ‘public property’. Mohammed al-Ayeb held the position of director of the department that oversaw the preparation and execution of the assassination attempt within the Libyan General Intelligence Service.
Mleqta welcomed the court’s decisions but held the Presidential Council (PC) ‘fully responsible politically and administratively to take the necessary measures towards the head of this agency’ since it is under the administration of the PC. Mleqta asserted that either Hussein al-Ayeb’s awareness of his son’s actions or his lack of oversight demonstrates institutional failures. He cited Article 28 of Law No. 11 of 2012, which holds officials accountable for neglect or actions undermining the integrity of their positions. Mleqta emphasized that the fact that the head of the agency remains in his position without investigation and accountability represents ‘a serious legal and security loophole.’ Mleqta emphasized that Libya’s recovery depends on strict adherence to the principle of accountability without exception.