Zeghmati: “Trials Of Corrupt Officials To Start As From Next Monday”

Officials, notably former Premiers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal and others, involved in corruption cases handled by the judiciary since March 2019 will be tried in public hearings from next Monday, said Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, Belkacem Zeghmati on Wednesday.

The officials involved in “the first corruption cases handled by the judiciary since last March will be tried from Monday, December 2 in public hearings at the Sidi M’hamed Court in Algiers”, said Mr. Zeghmati during the presentation and debate of the bill amending the Code of Criminal Procedure at the Council of the Nation or Upper House of Parliament.

According to some sources, these cases include the misuse of public funds and the granting of undue advantages to owners of car assembly plants.

“These cases are very heavy and you will be surprised by what the magistrates will do,” added the Minister of Justice, stressing that “the people will be able to judge whether or not these magistrates are properly doing their work.

“We are beginning to see the first results of these sensitive and alarming cases being handled by the Justice Department,” he underscored.

Mr. Zeghmati also stated that “the political will, which was previously absent despite the Anti-Corruption Act, now duly exists”, as he put it.