Algeria jails ex-president’s brother, issues fines over $3bn

The Sidi M’Hamed court in Algiers convicted the brother of the late Algerian and his special adviser, Said Bouteflika, and issued a 12-year enforceable prison sentence against him and a fine of eight million dinars ($56,000). The court also sentenced businessmen affiliated with Bouteflika in the case related to concealing the returns of corruption and fined them $3 billion.

This judgment is considered the largest and most severe against Said Bouteflika, who is described as the real ruler of the country during the period of his brother’s illness between 2013 and 2019.

Other figures who received similar sentences include Ali Haddad, former chairman of the Business Leaders Forum (FCE), and Ahmed Mazouz, a prominent businessman. Mohieddine Tahkout, who was famous for monopolising the students’ transportation sector and establishing fake factories for assembling cars, was fined and given a 15-year prison term.

READ: Algerian Court acquits Bouteflika’s brother of ‘interfering in the work of the judiciary’

Defendant Mohamed Bairi, a businessman and FCE vice president, was sentenced to eight years in prison and a fine of eight million dinars ($58,400).

In addition to individual fines issued to those convicted, the court ruled that Said Bouteflika, Mohieddine Tahkout, the Kouninef brothers and Ali Haddad jointly pay the sum of 400 billion dinars ($3 billion) to the public treasury as compensation for the damages incurred as a result of the confiscation of funds, revenues and real estate.

The brother of the former president and more than 70 defendants were charged with concealing returns emanating from crimes of corruption and money laundering.