Charfi: “It’s unbecoming to reveal before time names of those mired in Sonatrach scandal”

The Algerian Justice Minister, Mohamed Charfi, has affirmed that the examining magistrate in charge of looking into the so-called “Sonatrach 2 financial scandal” is fulfilling wholly his investigative mission and is exercising all his prerogatives by taking all the necessary legal measures to this effect.

In a statement to the press Monday in Algiers on the sidelines of a meeting of the National Bars’ Union, Mr. Charfi said that it was utterly inappropriate and anti-constitutional to disclose the names of those suspected of involvement in the Sonatrach 2 financial scandal with the examining magistrate’s in-depth inquiry still underway.

He stated that the ongoing judicial probe, once completed, would divulge all the intricacies of this corruption-tainted affair having overseas ramifications to the detriment of the national economy.

The Justice Minister added that such a sprawling misappropriation affair required time-consuming and sustained efforts by those in charge of the file in order to see it clarified and sealed any time soon with the culprits eventually brought before justice to answer for their misdeeds.