The mayor of Derna, a Libyan city which was devastated by intense flooding, has been arrested in connection with the disaster, officials have confirmed.
Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi was among numerous officials charged in connection with the disaster that killed thousands in eastern Libya earlier this month.
Africa Today News, New York reports that last week, angry Derna residents burned the mayor’s house in protest.
They gathered on Monday night at the famous Sahaba Mosque in the city, with many of them yelling for the dismissal of senior figures in the eastern administration of Libya.
The entire city council of Derna has now been expelled.
In a media crackdown, internet and phone service have also been suspended, and journalists have been told to leave.
No fewer than 10,000 people are officially missing after two old and dilapidated dams burst, flooding the city.
The office of the attorney general, based in the capital Tripoli, said on Monday that the officials were “responsible for managing the country’s dam facilities” and therefore it had launched a criminal case against them.
Some of the officials, including Mr al-Ghaithi, have already been detained prior to the trial.
In a statement on Monday, the attorney general’s office accused the officials of numerous failings, such as mismanaging funds meant to maintain the dams that burst and caused the floods in Derna.
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His office also said that the officials had showed neglect by failing to take precautions, leading to flood-related deaths and economic losses for Libya.
Mr al-Ghaithi has further been accused of abusing his authority.
Africa Today News, New York reports that currently Libya is divided into two, rival administrations – one in the east and one in the west. As the attorney general is based in Tripoli, in the west, it is not clear to what extent he can order arrests in the east.
On Sunday, the eastern government said that the number of confirmed deaths from the floods had reached 3,868.
The attorney general’s office said that investigations into other officials were ongoing and there could be more arrests.