Detention warrants issued for Lotfi Mraihi on charges of money laundering and buying endorsements (Mohamed Zitouna)

The investigative judge at the Court of First Instance in Tunis on Friday issued a detention warrant for Mohamed Lotfi Mraihi, Secretary General of the Republican People's Union and the party's administrative assistant, on charges of money laundering, smuggling gains abroad, and dealing between a resident and a non-resident.In a statement to TAP news agency, Mohamed Zitouna, spokesman for the Tunis Court of First Instance, said the detention warrant was issued in light of evidence that Mraihi deliberately opened bank accounts abroad in violation of the legal formulas, and smuggled some of his funds by converting them into foreign currency, and depositing them in bank accounts abroad.This was done after the party's administrative assistant mediated through one of her acquaintances, who is wanted, he added stressing that investigations are still ongoing to identify all the parties involved.In a second statement to TAP on Friday, Mohamed Zitouna, said that the public prosecution at the Tunis Court of First Instance decided to issue a detention warrant for Mohamed Lotfi Mraihi, secretary general of the Republican Popular Union Party and three others. It also ordered that they be referred to the criminal division of the same court for the offence of offering cash gifts to influence voters.This decision was taken after it was proved that the accused deliberately coordinated with each other to collect endorsements and buy the votes of the endorsers in exchange for money.Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse