By RFIPalled on 10-12-2019Modified on 10-12-2019 at 11:46
The Algiers court on Tuesday morning, December 10, pronounced heavy penalties in the trial for corruption and abuse of power opened last week. Two former prime ministers are sentenced to prison.
Fifteen years in prison for Ahmed Ouyahia, former Prime Minister , and twelve years for Abdelmalek Sellal his predecessor. Two former ministers of industry are sentenced to ten years in prison, and three businessmen, including Ali Haddad, the former boss of the bosses, they are sentenced to seven years in prison.
This is the first time in Algeria that former heads of government are sentenced to a term of imprisonment. And this is the second important trial since the departure of Abdelaziz Bouteflika. In September, Said, the brother of the former president, and the two former all-powerful intelligence chiefs who had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for " undermining the authority of the state " .
Cost of one billion euros for the Treasury
For three days, the Algiers court questioned the defendants about the benefits they had granted or enjoyed in the car assembly industry. According to the prosecutor, these malpractices cost the equivalent of one billion euros to the Treasury. But there was also talk of secret funding for Abdelaziz Bouteflika's fifth term campaign.
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