Hannibal Gaddafi had been held in Beirut since 2015 in connection with the disappearance of a Lebanese cleric in 1978

The Lebanese authorities have released Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, on bail after nearly ten years in custody over allegations he withheld information about a missing cleric.

Hannibal's release on Monday followed a court order that lowered his bail from $11 million to around $900,000 and lifted a travel ban imposed since his 2015 arrest.

"Hannibal is officially free and has the full right to choose the destination that he wants," his lawyer, Charbel Milad al-Khoury, told AP.

Hannibal, 49, was held in Beirut without trial on charges of concealing information about the 1978 disappearance of prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric Musa al-Sadr and two aides during a visit to Libya. The cleric's fate remains one of Lebanon's longest-standing political mysteries. Al-Sadr's followers accuse the former Libyan regime of abducting him after a meeting with the elder Gaddafi, a claim Tripoli has long denied.

Hannibal, who is married to a Lebanese model, was arrested in Lebanon after being kidnapped by an armed group in Syria, where he had been living in exile following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that led to his father's overthrow and killing.

READ MORE: Gaddafi's son kidnapped in Lebanon freed by security forces - reports

His family and the Tripoli-based Libyan government have repeatedly appealed for his release, citing his "deteriorating" health. They argue that he was only two years old when the cleric went missing and had no connection to the incident.

Last week, a Libyan government delegation visited Lebanon to negotiate over Hannibal's case. His lawyer said the officials submitted an investigation file on the Imam Al-Sadr case to the Lebanese authorities. AP, citing a statement from Libya's Justice Ministry, reported that the delegation posted his bail.

In a statement last month, the Justice Ministry said the former leader's son is being held illegally, adding that the Lebanese authorities will be held "responsible for his health and life."