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Tuesday, February 15, 2022
An Algerian court on Monday sentenced former Algerian energy minister Chakib Khelil to 20 years in prison on corruption charges. Mohamed Meziane, former head of the country’s oil and gas firm Sonatrach, was sentenced to five years in prison, while Saipem SpA, Saipem Contracting Algérie and Snamprogetti SpA Algeria Branch were levied a fine of about 192 million euros equivalent.
The chargers against all parties are in relation to the alleged illegal award of the GNL3 Arzew Project. The court found that the officials were part of a scheme to award the valuable project contracts to Saipem and partners in violation of laws and regulations. For its part, Saipem states it will appeal the decision having previously been found not guilty by an Italian court in December 2020.
Both former Algerian officials, who served under former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, were levied hefty fines along with their prison sentences. Meziane is already serving time in a separate case. Also receiving the court’s wrath is Sonatrach’s former vice president, Abdelhafidh Feghouli, who was sentenced to six years in prison and a fine.
Further, the Tribunal of Algiers sentenced two former employees of Saipem Group (the head of the project GNL3 Arzew and an Algerian former employee) to 5 years and 6 years of imprisonment respectively. Another employee of Saipem Group has been acquitted of all charges.
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