Ahmed Ouyahia Before Supreme Court Over Corruption-Linked Cases

In line with the Prosecutor’s decision of the Sidi M’hamed Court, near the Algiers Court, the files of the two former Prime Ministers Abdelmalek Sellal and Ahmed Ouyahia were transferred to the Supreme Court. They are cited in the case of the public procurement of the oligarch Ali Haddad who is now under pre-trial detention.

Very bad quandary indeed for some high personalities in Algeria. Cases of corruption and influence peddling linked to the contracts from which Ali Haddad benefited are splashing at the face of many dubious Algerian politicians.

Thus, just for the implementation contracts from which his ETRHB group benefited, two former Prime Ministers and no less than half a dozen ministers are concerned. In addition to former Prime Ministers Abdelmalek Sellal and Ahmed Ouyahia, former Ministers Amara Benyounes, Amar Tou, Hocine Necib, Abdelghani Zaalane and Karim Djoudi are all involved in contracting in the water, transport and public works sectors.

The former boss of the Forum of Algerian Business Leaders (FCE) namely Ali Hadded was able to benefit from these contracts thanks to his proximity to the first circle of the most influential personalities of the former regime of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

In total, these markets splashed around 70 people including former prime ministers, ministers, directors of public companies, bankers, etc. The list could be extended further.

In the meantime, and after the preliminary investigation by the Algerian gendarmerie, these officials were summoned by the prosecutor near the Sidi M’hamed court.

Former Prime Ministers and Ministers have been informed of the charges against them. Thus, Ahmed Ouyahia is accused of having “benefited from unjustified advantages in the field of public procurement, having benefited from the influence of public officials, having unduly benefited from land advantages, etc”.

On 16 May, Ahmed Ouyahia was summoned for the third time by the investigating judge of the Sidi M’hamed Court where he was loaded with 4 charges of benefiting from unjustified concessions in the field of public transactions, taking advantage of the influence of public agents, and taking advantage of unjustified real estate privileges. Ouyahia’s son is also on the sights of justice in similar bribery-related cases

For its part, Sellal is accused of granting undue advantages, abuse of office and illegal use of public money. Ministers Amar Tou, Abdelghani Zaâlane and Karim Djoudi are accused of squandering public funds, awarding expensive contracts and granting undue advantages.

Their cases have been referred to the Attorney General at the Supreme Court, according to reliable sources. And it is up to the latter to appoint a member of this court to conduct the investigation proceedings.

One thing is for sure, these politicians are in trouble. This case of Ali Haddad who splashed them is only one among many others including other oligarchs close to the Bouteflika clan, who were privileged during the award of public contracts including the brothers Kouninef, Chelghoum, Tahkout, etc.

All these shady businessmen are in the sights of the Algerian judicial system and are subject to a Ban on leaving the national territory (ISTN) when they aren’t already in detention.