In a highly anticipated move, judicial sources have confirmed that Judge Tarek Bitar, the investigating judge in charge of probing the deadly double explosion of August 4, 2020, is preparing to resume his work after a hiatus of over two and a half years. According to “Huna Lebanon”, Judge Bitar intentionally waited until after the August 4 anniversary to avoid political exploitation and will now continue his investigations.
The sources revealed that Judge Bitar will be scheduling interrogation sessions for all accused individuals who have thus far failed to appear before him, including politicians, security officials, judges, and employees. Should they refuse to comply, Bitar is prepared to issue arrest warrants and take further legal action as necessary.
This development is seen as a prelude to the eventual closing of the investigation and the referral of the case to the Public Prosecution. There is anticipation that an indictment will be issued within the current year, with the entire investigation expected to be concluded by 2025.
According to “Huna Lubnan”’s sources, Judge Bitar’s determination to resume his work is based on a legal precedent he set in 2023, equating the role of the judicial investigator with that of judges on the Judicial Council. This stance is supported by a precedent set by the President of the Supreme Judicial Council Philip Khairallah, which emphasized the authority and immunity of Judicial Council judges and, according to Bitar, should also apply to the judicial investigator.
However, there is potential for opposition from the Public Prosecution, which may not cooperate with Judge Bitar’s unilateral decision, particularly given the recent rejection of a proposal by Acting Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation Judge Jamal al-Hajjar to remove politicians and judges from the scope of the investigation.
