MP Benkhalfa hits out against failure to duly bring Chakib Khelil before justice

Algerian MP belonging to the Justice and Development Front party, LarbiBenkhalfa, has severely hit out against the protracted delay in the implementation of the International arrest warrant issued against former Energy and Minister, ChakibKhelil, his wife, his sons and five other people accused of misappropriation of public funds, malpractice and corruption practices.

In his oral question to Justice Minister TayebLouh concerning this shady and much-publicized affair during a session on Monday of the National Popular Assembly, LarbiBenkhalfa expressed amazement at the inaction by Interpol to arrest ChakibKhelil and the other suspects despite the issuing by Algeria’s Attorney General of an official international arrest warrant against them, 70 days ago.

The Algerian MP denounced what he termed the “double standard policy” adopted in the affair saying that the law notably in its article 573 should be preeminent in all circumstances and applied in all its rigour even against state or government officials or Walis (Prefects) suspected of wrongdoing with no preferential treatment.

Mr Larbi Benkhalfa pointed out in this connection that the widespread corruption – tainted affair implicating Chakib Khelil and his wanted henchmen should be brought before the Supreme Court and not before the penal court as suggested by some ill-intentioned people because, he said,  the accused was involved in blameworthy practices while he was in office as a member of the government between 1999 and 2010.