I Left My Billions in Algeria, Abdelmoumene Khalifa

Abdelmoumene Rafik Khalifa is serving his fourth year in the prison of Wandsworth in London, as the British Justice examines the extradition warrant filed by the Algerian authorities.

Echorouk reporter in London, Merouane Beletreche, has managed reaching the billionaire in the prison and interviewed him for 30 minutes.

The interview took place in the lawyers’ hall, in the prison. Abdelmoumene Khalifa came in to the hall with a coffee cup in his hand and a smile in his face, saying: “I’m not used to talk to journalists here!”

The case of Khalifa has sparked in March 2007, and likely to take more years ahead before being decide on. While answering questions, Abdelmoumene Khalifa was so careful and used short answers to avoid, of course, inculpating himself! 

Khalifa says in this regard: “Yes, the case took too much time, but I’d ask rather why after four years and a half the authorities in Algeria still haven’t examined the appeals formulated against the trial that took place in the Court of Blida? I’d say that the case is lagging behind because it’s complicated and the British Justice has to scrupulously examine the documents and evidences related to the case, and this is not easy. The delay is provoked also regarding the political aspect of the case and to the nature of the fabricated files against me!”

He further added “I said “fabricated,” because at the very beginning this case has not been founded on real evidences against me, but rather on mere accusations of some politicians, some of whom started talking about the bankruptcy of my group and the loss of 14 billion USD, three months before the announcement of the collapse of the group, and then some media started trying me calling it “the scandal of the century,” and my arrest warrant was sent to the press rather than to the police!”

“Such a wrong start makes of any case so complicated and longue, and up to my knowledge, the British Justice is checking the reliability of the documents filed by the defense of the Algerian authorities against me.”

Mr Khalifa further assumes that his group was “healthy” otherwise “We would not acquire 30 percent shares in Society General, amid the storm that devastated the group.”

The wanted man insists that he is not a “runaway,” for “I haven’t run away from Algeria, given that I was already in London when things started to get worse. I’m confronting the British Justice since 2007, so please don’t call me a runaway!”

Abdelmoumene Khalifa insists also that he embezzled no fund abroad, but rather “all the billions that everybody talks about are left in Algeria, and it is for the officials there to tell where they are!”