BEIRUT: Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil vowed Wednesday to pursue his anti-corruption drive in the real estate department and assured that the political immunity would be lifted on any official involved in illegal activity.Speaking at a news conference after visiting the Justice Palace, the minister said that he handed to the attorney general seven files pertaining to the illegal seizure of government-owned lands in several areas of Lebanon.The attorney general also received details about the involvement of certain clerks in the real estate department who are suspected of receiving bribes and favors from some citizens.This marks the first time since the Taif Accord that senior and junior public employees clerks at the Finance Ministry’s real estate departments are prosecuted for graft and abuse of power.Sources said the state loses hundreds of millions of dollars each year as result of the rampant corruption in the real estate departments .The minister did not specify who seized the lands of the state in rural areas nor the political parties that were behind them.Khalil said that over 93 million square meters of government lands have been illegally seized, adding that the ministry was also checking on reports that there were similar cases in many other regions…
