Pietro Fatroni: “Farid Bedjaoui used to deposit bribery money into Chakib Khelil’s account”

Further revelations made by Italian energy managers suspected of involvement in the Sonatrach – Eni – Saipem corruption probe now under the perusal of Italian justice all point to the incrimination of former Algerian energy and mines Minister Chakib Khelil over widespread bribery practices.

The former Manager of the construction and engineering department of Italy’s Saipem Company revealed to an examining Magistrate at the court of Milan that Chakib Khelil’s right – hand man Farid Bedjaoui used to deposit large sums of money stemming from bribery practices into the latter’s bank account overseas.

Pietro Fatroni’s lawyer told Echorouk that the process of collecting evidence and testimonies by the examining magistrate of the Milan court had now ended.

He added that the second phase of this investigation would be launched shortly at the Milan court in order to finalize the file and pinpoint the charges against the defendants including wanted Chakib Khelil himself who is still at large by residing in the United States.

A former Saipem manager, who was also summoned by the Italian judge in charge of the preliminary investigations, also pointed an accusing finger at Farid Bedjaoui during an earlier court hearing saying that the latter had regularly deposited huge sums of money stemming from grafts into Chakib Khelil’s foreign bank account without however specifying the exact amount or the source of these corruption – tinged funds.