Sonatrach’s former CEO: I executed Khelil’s orders

Former CEO of Algeria’s energy group Sonatrach Mohamed Meziane said he respected laws on public deals and was not a mediator with a German company to get projects in return for advantages.

Meziane is prosecuted for money laundering, concluding unlawful deals in return for unjustified privileges, corruption and public money embezzlement.

He denied all those charges and told investigators deals were concluded after the official approval of Algeria’s former energy minister Chakib Khelil through official letters.

The minister was my boss and I executed his orders

Meziane said he had nothing to do with corruption issues at Sonatrach as he excited Khelil’s orders at that time.

I did not know that my family received gifts from Italian and German companies

Meziane did not deny that his sons received gifts from Italy’s Saipem and a German company but he said he had just known about them during investigation in August 2009.

He added that he also did not know that his sons were partners at a German company.

Speaking about his son who worked as an advisor at Saipem, Meziane said he did not own Sonatrach and projects were granted as part of call for tenders.

Investigations show that Meziane’s second son received 200 shares at a German company in return for nothing on January 8^th in 2005. Meanwhile, he worked in the information department at Sonatrach.

I did not put pressure on Sonatrach’s officials

Meziane also told the examining judge that he did not put pressure on Sonatrach’s executives and officials in favor of the German and Italian companies.

I was not involved in Sonatrach’s headquarter rehabilitation deal

According to Meziane, Khelil was in charge of the Sonatrach’s headquarter rehabilitation deal. He ordered to grant the project to a German company and negotiate for reduction.

“Then, I gave instructions to officials in charge of the deal to get central structures involved in negotiation,” he said.