Algeria court sentences ex-culture minister to jail for graft

The Sidi M’hamed Court of Algiers yesterday sentenced former Culture Minister Khalida Toumi to six years in prison and fined her 200,000 dinars ($1,430) after finding her guilty of corruption, the Algeria Press Agency (APS) reported.

Toumi was the longest serving minister during the era of the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. She held the culture portfolio between 2002 and 2014.

The same court also convicted former official at the ministry, Abdelhamid Blidia, to four years in prison and fined him 200,000 dinars ($1,430).

The former director of culture in the state of Tlemcen, Abdelhakim Miloud, was also sentenced to two years in prison and fined 100,000 dinars ($715), according to the same source.

APS said the court issued its ruling against the former minister and officials on charges related to “abuse of office, granting undue privileges and embezzlement of public funds, especially during cultural events organised” while she was a minister.

The events include “Algeria, the capital of Arab culture” in 2007, the African Festival” in 2009 and “Tlemcen, the capital of Islamic culture” in 2011

The judgments are preliminary and subject to appeal.

In November 2019, Toumi became the first high ranking official under President Bouteflika’s regime to be imprisoned.

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