Bagdad- Sinan al-Shabibi the long serving governor of Iraq’s central bank has been abruptly removed on Tuesday after him being targeted along with other fellow bank officials for a financial delinquency which has come up in an investigation. Post U.S. invasion he has shepherd the bank and is an economist, politically independent. He has not been accused of any crime and his lawyer holds the view that he is completely innocent.
A special parliamentary committee has been formulated to investigate the delinquency and this act of establishing the special body is being regarded by critics as an effort of consolidating control over Iraq’s institutions by Prime Minister Nouri al-Malik. The prime minister’s spokesman, Ali-al Moussawi has reported that the cabinet has voted on Tuesday to replace Al-Shabibi along with the chief of the “board of supreme audit”, Abdul –Basit Turki, until the inspection is complete.
The anti corruption watchdog of Iraq, named “Iraq’s integrity commission” is fact finding and is investigating the allegations. Al-Moussawi also said that misconduct and flaw was founded in the working of the institution and this triggered the removal of governor Al-Shabibi. Haitham al-Jabouri, a lawmaker and Al-Moussawi both said that the irregularities are oriented with the barter of Iraqi dinars for hard currency.
Waleed Mohammed al-Shabibi a lawyer defended the governor by proclaiming that "These charges are politically motivated. Al-Shabibi is honest and professional,” "The government is planning to replace him with another official who takes orders from the government." Al-Moussawi denied the charge by saying that there was no premeditated political motivation behind this entire propaganda. The bank governor could not be reached for a remark since he is reportedly outside Iraq but where exactly is not revealed.
Source [Nahar Net]