By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 9 December 2014:
A 24-hour strike at Gumhouria Bank in Tripoli may have ended this morning with some . . .[restrict]branches reopening but the bank appears to be in turmoil,since its general manager fled last week after allegedly refusing to countenance a LD80 million scam.
The work stoppage by the bank’s employees in the capital was, said strike leaders, in protest at deteriorating security in the city and the danger they said bank employees, particularly managers faced from armed militias in the city.
“It is impossible for us to work in such environment” a bank official told the Libya Herald. He continued, “There are only two choices in front of us to cooperate with the militias in stealing the money or our lives and families will be in risk”.
It is believed that Gumhouria’s the executive manager Ahmed Rajab left the country last week after an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap him.
Rajab had reportedly been asked to make transfer funds from a Ministry of Defence account held at the bank. The order is alleged to have come Khalid Sharifa, former deputy defence minister and a one-time leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. Sharifa is understood to have denied any involvement nor that he thereafter threatened Rajab.
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