The Supreme Court to Open Khalifa Case in January, Official

The Supreme Court is due to decide on the application for appeal on the case of Khalifa as by January, Head of the Supreme Court, Kedour Belradjaa revealed Wednesday.

At the sidelines of the opening of the judicial year 2011-2012, Mr Belradjaa told Echorouk reporter that the magistrates have postponed in November four times the said decision, regarding the sensitivity of this case which interest both local and international public opinions, and thus should be carefully dealt with. 

He specified that Khalifa case which has been referred to Justice in 2007, “requires being examined from all sides; penal and criminal side should be carefully separated, and this takes too much time,” adding that “the jury’s deliberation is due to be fulfilled later this month.” 

The application for the appeal concerns the ruling on 94 defendants of whom verdicts ranged between not-guilty and imprisonment for 2 and 15 years, with the seizing of their properties. 

The main defendant in Khalifa case is Rafik Abdelmoumene Khalifa, former billionaire and owner of Khalifa Group, who is imprisoned now in Britain, and wanted by Algerian Justice.

He was convicted to live imprisonment in absentia by the Court of Blida, in June 2007, while 11 other runaway defendants were convicted in absentia for 10 years prison.