Algerian appeals court confirms prison sentences for former premiers

An Algerian appeals court on Wednesday confirmed the prison sentences handed down to two former Algerian prime ministers in a corruption case.

The appeals court at the Algiers judicial council confirmed jail sentences of 15 years for Ahmed Ouyahia and 12 years for Abdelmalek Sellal on charges of squandering public funds and abusing authority.

The former leaders were convicted last December in a case related to car assembly plants and illegally funding the last election campaign of ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Both premiers served under Bouteflika, who was forced to step down in April 2019 in the wake of nationwide protests and pressure from the country’s powerful military.

In the same ruling last December, two former industry ministers, Youcef Yousfi and Mahdjoub Bedda, were each handed 5-year prison sentences.

Also two businessmen were sentenced to four years and a third to three years in jail, a former provincial governor and one of Sellal’s sons were each given two years in jail.

Former transport and public works minister Abdelghani Zaalane was acquitted.

Bouteflika ruled energy-rich Algeria for two decades, an era that was dominated by cronyism and mismanagement.

In December, Abdelmadjid Tebboune took office as Algeria’s president.

Edited By: Halima Sheji/Emmanuel Yashim
(NAN)