Algeria jails two Bouteflika-era PMs in landmark corruption trial
An Algerian court jailed two former prime ministers for corruption on Tuesday, two days before a presidential election which protesters want cancelled.
Ahmed Ouyahia, who was prime minister four times, received a 10-year jail sentence and Abdelmalek Sellal, who was twice premier, was jailed for 12 years. They denied all charges, including "misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power and granting undue privileges".
The court in Algiers also handed 10-year prison terms to two former industry ministers, and sentences ranging from three to seven years to five prominent businessmen.
Many former senior officials have been in detention as the army seeks to quell mass protests that began in February demanding the prosecution of people involved in corruption and the removal of the ruling elite.
Tuesday's sentences marked the second verdict since September, when a military court handed long prison terms to the once untouchable intelligence chief and youngest brother of the former president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Bouteflika resigned in April under pressure from the protests which began in February. Demonstrators say Thursday's election will not be fair because some of Bouteflika's allies are still in power.
Algerian court is dropping a bomb 2 days ahead of the presidential elections: Former PMs Ouyahia & Sellal sentenced to 15 & 12 years in jail, former Minister of Energy Youcef Yousfi to 10 years and former head of the FCE, Ali Haddad, to 7 years #Algeria https://t.co/2utAN3bR3B
— Sofian Philip Naceur (@SofianNaceur) December 10, 2019
https://www.france24.com/en/20191210-algeria-jails-two-bouteflika-era-pms-in-landmark-corruption-trial