Khalifa corruption scandal : judges start over

A total of 74 accused involved in the Khalifa Bank scandal will appear in a court in the rovince of Blida on Tuesday. Some of them who were sentenced in March 2007 may get more years in prison including acquitted people. Others may be found not guilty, according to lawyers.

Judge Antar Menaouar will re-open the case and will deal with new convictions with the help of advisors.

Attorney General, in his turn, will try as much as possible to prove allegations against suspects. Severe sanctions were sought against them but former judges reduced sentences to some of them and acquitted others.

Lawyer Ibrahim Bahlouli told Echorouk the judge in charge of the Khalifa case will have to respect the decided sentences and can not add new charges. « What will change is the new lawyer’s personal conviction according to testimonies. »

Speaking about main suspect Abdelmoumene Khalifa, he said he will be sentenced in absentia. According to the Algerian law, he can not be defended by any lawyer only if he appears in court. He may get the same life sentence or be sentenced to a number of years in prison.