Khalifa trial : ministers and senior officials must appear in court, say lawyers

Lawyer Abdelhak Belkhider said there will be surprises in the Khalifa Bank trial as main suspect Abdelmoumene Khalifa may pleaded not guilty.

The lawyer believes that senior officials must appear in court to testify.

Ministers and senior officials absent

Most of the witnesses were absent. Of them, there are ministers, the MSP  party’s former leader and the Algeria Bank commissioner.

Judge Antar Menaouer said telegrams will be sent to them while he asked present witnesses to leave their phone numbers to contact them later.

« It is illogical to keep all the witnesses in the court for two months  because the case will last for a long time, » he said.

Abdelmoumpene’s brother appeared as a witness as well.

A number of witnesses died

The list of witnesses included names who passed away including Air Algerie’s former CEO Mohamed Tayeb Ben Ouiss.

Khalifa’s lawyer asks to postpone the case

The golden boy’s lawyer Nacereddine Lazer said mistakes were committed in the case procedures. Because of that, it should be postponed.

According to the lawyer, Khalifa should have be questionned by examining judge before appearing in a criminal court. He also refused to call his client as the « main suspect. »