“Alrem” Foundation Under Perusal Of Security Investigations

Investigations into corruption cases at the Public Metallurgical and Steel Complex “Imtal” extended to its branches, the most important of which was the Public Corporation for the Realization of Metallic Structures and Installations “ALREM”, which was subjected to systematic destruction due to mismanagement that devastated the huge capabilities it possessed and turned it into an institution incapable of winning even a single deal.
According to details obtained by “Echorouk”, the security services in the capital launched extensive investigations at the level of the Public Institution for the Completion of Metal Structures and Installations “Alrem”, where they interrogated the general manager of the institution, who was appointed by the president as the general manager of “Imtal”, who is in temporary detention, succeeding position after his promotion.
The security authorities are also investigating all deals and tenders issued by this public institution, while checking the list of office supplies and equipment whose value exceeds EGP 551bn, as well as the fate of these supplies and equipment.
In other details, the corruption that affected the public institution for the completion of metal structures and installations is related to the incidents of demolishing and dismantling the old blast furnace No. 1 in the El Hadjar Iron and Steel Complex in the far eastern province of Annaba, which was built in 1968 and occupies an area of 100 hectares and has not been used since 2009.
After the government approved the decision to dismantle it in 2020, it was expected that the “Alrem” Foundation would carry out the work, but the latter awarded the contract to private contractors in 2022 by simple mutual agreement, as it awarded 80% of the contract to the “Amenheid” complex of the Chalghoum brothers for services and works.
Irrigation and the Environment, despite their conviction by the Algerian judiciary of 5 years in prison, while 20 percent was granted to the National Corporation for the Industry of Metal Structures “SMIND” even though it is a public institution and its priority is to obtain 100 percent of the demolition and dismantling works of the furnace.
According to our sources, the security investigations will also include the fate of the “scrap” of dismantling the blast furnace, which is represented by iron and steel materials as well as copper cables, as well as the equipment of this basic part of the Al-Hajjar iron and steel complex, which are materials whose value is estimated at billions of dinars, and it was supposed to be recovered by the National Recovery Company, which is also a branch of “Imtel”.
Our sources indicated that to date, the party to which it was transferred has not been determined, although this process will allow the exploitation of a significant stock of unused steel materials, represented in the structure of the blast furnace No. One thousand tons of unused iron residues, which are supposed to cover the needs of the boat for a period of about 6 months at least.
“Echorouk” had previously touched on the details of the incidents of corruption that affected the iron giant “Imtal”, and confirmed that the investigation will include 13 other branches, after it included two vital branches, namely the iron and steel complex “Sider El-Hajjar” and the National Recovery Company.
On the 13th of March last, the investigating judge of the economic and financial criminal court of Sidi M’hamed ordered the temporary detention of the general manager of the “Imtal” complex and 4 other defendants, while he decided to place 17 defendants under judicial control, a decision that was confirmed by the prosecution chamber of the Algerian Judicial Council on the 28th of March.
The defendants were accused in the case file of serious crimes related to the squandering of public funds, the abuse of position, and the conclusion of deals and contracts in a manner that violates laws and regulations for the purpose of granting undue benefits to others, money laundering and illegal enrichment at the level of the two vital branches of the complex, represented by the iron and steel complex “Sider” Al-Hajjar and the National Recovery Company, Money laundering and illicit enrichment at the level of the two vital branches of the complex, represented by the Iron and Steel Complex “Sider” Al-Hajjar” and the National Recovery Company, which caused the impact and decline in the production capacity of the boat, affecting its sensitive facilities and frequent stoppages of the production cycle, causing financial damage to the complex and the public treasury.