Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
  • Legendary broadcaster, Larry King dies weeks after testing positive for COVID-19

  • COVAX purchases new 140m doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines for poor countries

  • About 200 National Guard at Biden inauguration test positive for coronavirus

  • Zimbabwe loses fourth serving minister, prison commissioner to covid-19

  • Africa receives first large shipment of covid-19 vaccine

AfricaNews Now
Home›Africa›Two ex-Algerian Prime Ministers jailed 27 years in landmark corruption trial

Two ex-Algerian Prime Ministers jailed 27 years in landmark corruption trial

By alternativeafrica
December 10, 2019
492
1
Share:

London, Dec. 10, 2019 (AltAfrica)-Two ex-Algerian prime ministers were on Tuesday convicted and sentenced to prison for corruption-related charges in a landmark trial, unleashing cheers of joy from pro-democracy activists who want an overhaul of the gas-rich country’s political system.

The verdict came amid high political tensions just two days before a controversial presidential election to replace President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, pushed out of office in April after 20 years in power.

FILES – In this, Sept. 17, 2018 file photo, Ex-Algerian Prime Ministers, Ahmed Ouyahia, left, listens in Algierss while in the Dec.4, 2014 file photo, former Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal leaves the Elysee palace in Paris. The two former Algerian prime ministers have been convicted and sentenced to prison for corruption-related charges in a landmark trial. Ahmed Ouyahia was sentenced to 15 years in prison and $16,000 in fines. Abdelmalek Sellal was sentenced to 12 years in prison and $8,000 in fines. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul, Remy de la Mauviniere, Files)

Protesters gathered outside and inside the courthouse in Algiers Tuesday to hear the verdict against Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, some shouting “Gang of gangsters!” and many waving or wearing Algerian flags. Police surrounded the courthouse.

READ ALSO: GERMANY, EGYPT SIGN £36M AGRIC GRANT

Ouyahia was sentenced to 15 years in prison and $16,000 in fines. Sellal was sentenced to 12 years in prison and $8,000 in fines. The men, who deny wrongdoing, have 10 days to appeal.

Both served under Bouteflika. Protesters rose up against Bouteflika earlier this year — in part because of anger at corruption.

Four other former government ministers and businessmen were also convicted in the case, which focused on a car manufacturing corruption scandal, allegedly involving huge bribes, inflated invoices and dodgy loans. Bouteflika’s former campaign manager was acquitted.

Unusually, the trial was televised, as authorities sought to show the public that they are taking protesters’ concerns about corruption, transparency and accountability seriously.

Thursday’s presidential election loomed over the trial. Algerian authorities are hoping the trial will help convince the public that they are serious about reforming themselves — and persuade people to go out and vote.

Algeria’s peaceful, 9-month-old protest movement dismisses the election as a sham because it’s organized by the existing power structure. Protesters want a whole new political system instead.

“It’s a historic trial,” law professor Rachid Lerari told The Associated Press. “Future leaders will think twice before using public money” for private gain. AP

SHARE ON:
Tags27 Years Jail TermAlgeriaTwo Ex PMs
Previous Article

Germany, Egypt sign £36m agric grant

Next Article

Forum identifies reliable intra-Africa payment system among ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

alternativeafrica

Related articles More from author

  • AfricaBusinessNews Now

    Nissan to open assembly plant in Algeria

    February 17, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews Now

    Algeria jails second ex-prime minister in corruption sweep

    June 13, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews NowSports

    AFCON 2019: Its Senegal Vs Algeria in finals as Super Eagles fail to meet the grade

    July 14, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews Now

    Algerian crisis nears end as Army moves to remove President Bouteflika from office

    March 26, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • BusinessNews Now

    Migration likely to influence trade talks as Angela Merkel visits Algeria

    September 17, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews NowPolitics

    Speaker Bensalah named Algerian interim president

    April 9, 2019
    By alternativeafrica

1 comment

  1. Forum identifies reliable intra-Africa payment system among other key challenges Nigeria must tackle ahead of AFCFTA implementation | Alternative Africa 10 December, 2019 at 12:37 Reply

    […] Two ex-Algerian Prime Ministers get 27 years jail terms in landmark corruption trial […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • BusinessNews NowWorld

    British coins to feature black, ethnic minority figures for the first time

  • News NowPolitics

    Kenya election official resigns, saying poll ‘not credible’

  • AfricaBusinessNews NowTechnology

    Nigeria Stock Exchange introduces artificial intelligence tech to operations

Timeline

  • January 23, 2021

    Legendary broadcaster, Larry King dies weeks after testing positive for COVID-19

  • January 23, 2021

    COVAX purchases new 140m doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines for poor countries

  • January 23, 2021

    About 200 National Guard at Biden inauguration test positive for coronavirus

  • January 23, 2021

    Zimbabwe loses fourth serving minister, prison commissioner to covid-19

  • January 23, 2021

    Africa receives first large shipment of covid-19 vaccine

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Nigeria: 32,000 capacity Lagos rice mill to start production in 2020

    By alternativeafrica
    December 23, 2019
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail – Future agricultures
    on
    October 16, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail - The Zimbabwean
    on
    October 12, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Legendary broadcaster, Larry King dies weeks after testing positive for COVID-19

    By alternativeafrica
    January 23, 2021
  • COVAX purchases new 140m doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines for poor countries

    By alternativeafrica
    January 23, 2021
  • About 200 National Guard at Biden inauguration test positive for coronavirus

    By alternativeafrica
    January 23, 2021
  • Zimbabwe loses fourth serving minister, prison commissioner to covid-19

    By alternativeafrica
    January 23, 2021
  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail – Future agricultures
    on
    October 16, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail - The Zimbabwean
    on
    October 12, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...

Photostream

    Follow us

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2019. All rights reserved.