By RFPosted on 07-12-2019Modified on 07-12-2019 at 22:18

Since December 4 in Algiers is held the first trial for bribery of former leaders, witnessed by Said Bouteflika, the brother of former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Said Bouteflika entered the courtroom shortly after 5 pm, surrounded by members of the Gendarmerie intervention forces. The brother of the former president was sentenced to 15 years in prison in September by the military court of Blida for conspiracy against the authority of the state. He is one of those whom Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaïd Salah calls " the gang , the mafia ".

Today during the first trial for corruption of former leaders, he appeared as a witness. The judge questioned him that he would have asked businessmen to raise money to finance the fifth term campaign of his brother, Abdelaziz Bouteflika , earlier this year. Said Bouteflika was questioned about the amount of money and instructions he gave, but the former president's brother did not say a word.

The " pattern boss " involved

This morning, Ali Haddad, the former boss of the bosses, also appeared in court. The businessman is accused of illegal financing of the campaign of Abdelaziz Bouteflika for a fifth term. He was implicated, Thursday, on the second day of the trial by another businessman, Ahmed Mazouz, who claimed that it was Ali Haddad who collected the money for the support of the campaign of this fifth term .

Ali Haddad explained this morning to the court that on 6 February, Saïd Bouteflika had asked him to recover the equivalent of 6 million euros at the campaign headquarters and put them on the premises of his own company. It was this statement this morning that prompted the prosecutor to call Saïd Bouteflika's appearance as a witness.

Today, all these court hearings took place under the gaze of television cameras.

    On the same subject

    Algerian presidential election: the diaspora called to the polls

    Presidential election in Algeria: first "debate" between the five candidates

    The presidential election in Algeria: a deception?

    Algeria: 41st Friday of protest to say "no" to the presidential

    Algeria: Said Bouteflika sentenced to 15 years in prison

    Said Bouteflika, brother of former Algerian president, in court

    comments