Khalifa trial: employment by favoritism and loans without guarantee

A number of wrongdoings were revealed in a court in Algiers relating to the Khalifa case. Of them, loans without guarantee, plans to get public money, Abdelmoumene Khalifa’s unexpected intervention.

Accused Amghar Mohand Rezki: “Khalifa Cars Renting Company did not go bankrupt”

Attorney General: where have 40 cars and the company’s billions gone?

Amghar Mohand Rezki, a suspect in Khalifa Bank case, denied that he let Khalifa Cars Renting company in bankruptcy. As its former director, he said he left in its account 20 million DZ, he completed all the commercial transactions and paid all the employees’ salaries and duties.

He added that the company had large gains. Yet, the Attorney General said liquidator’s reports show the opposite.

Judge Antar Menaouer found a big difficulty in questioning Amghar as the latter did not understand Arabic.

Judge: tell us how did you join Khalifa group and how did you earn?

Amghar: I used to work at the Algerian National Bank in 1984 in Algiers. There, I met Abdelmoumene Khalifa’s uncle. My salary was estimated at 50,000 DZ in 1998 at the same bank. When I joined Khalifa Bank, they offered me 80,000 DZ for the position of Central Director. I started working then I was appointed as an administration director in return for 100,000 DZ per month. Then, I held the position of Khalifa Cars Renting company in November 2000.

Judge: were there any employees who got loans from the company? How was the guarantee?

Amghar answers a part of the question: the guarantee is the salary and I earned 150,000 DZ

Judge: what did you do with that loan?

Amghar: I bought a house in Algiers at 900 million centimes and I spent 1 million DZ for reparation works. When the liquidator came, he found out that I had got a loan. So, he asked me to pay and he allowed me to pay the loan in thee years.

Judge: in August 1999, you got a 450 million-centime-loan. Why?

Amghar: I asked for that loan to pay the price of a house in Algiers.