Gaddafi's son ordered to hand over ?10m UK mansion to new Libyan government

Tripoli, Mar 10(ANI): Former Libyan ruler Colonel Gaddafi's son has been ordered to hand over his 10 million pound UK house to the new government of the country.

Former professional footballer Saadi Gaddafi purchased the eight- bedroom home, housing an indoor swimming pool and private cinema before the beginning of the Arab Spring revolution.

But the High Court was told that Saadi paid for the property by plundering Libyan state oil funds, The Daily Mail reports.

Justice Popplewell ruled that the 'wrongfully and unlawfully' purchased house, which is located in Hampstead, North West London, should be confiscated by the government.

Anti-corruption campaigners have welcomed the decision but warned it was a 'glaring example' of how easily foreign tyrants and their families were able to launder cash stolen from their countries in Britain.

"Did any of them consider whether there was a risk of money laundering or corrupt funding, as they are supposed to do? The financial authorities have pledged to take a tougher line on this, but it does need a long hard look at the system to stop it happening. This is the first asset recovery case related to the Arab spring in London and we hope there could be many more to come," an anti-corruption campaigner at Global Witness, Robert Palmer, said.

The Libyan government's lawyer Gregory Mitchell alleged that the Gaddafi family used the oil money as 'their own personal funds.'

He said Saadi could not have raised the money to buy the property, and added it was financed from 'Libyan state funds.'

Saadi's legal representative, Nick Kaufman had been earlier quoted, as slamming the Libyan government claim, as 'meritless'. (ANI)