High-Level Arrests Start in Algeria

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Algeria’s supreme court took several executives and officials into custody over graft allegations according to state TV. The country’s ex-prime minister, Abdelmalek Sellal and former trade minister Amara Benyounes, were both detained over alleged involvement in corruption.

The arrests are part of a crackdown on alleged corruption and cronyism among associates of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Sellal is one of the closest Bouteflika associates to be detained since the protesters who were able to get Bouteflika out of office started calling for the prosecution of people that they regard as corrupt.

Also arrested was Mourad Eulmi, head of the private firm SOVAC, a partner of Germany’s Volkswagen AG, at a car assembly plant in the western province of Relizane in connection with “corruption cases”.

Sellal was not the only former prime minister to be detained, the supreme court ordered the detention of, Ahmed Ouyahia, for alleged involvement in corruption, including “awarding illegal privileges and dissipation of public funds”. State TV also reported the court had confiscated the passport of former transport and public works minister Abdelghani Zaalane and ordered him to show up at the court once a month.

Bouteflika’s family was not immune to the arrests as the former president’s youngest brother, Said, along with two former intelligence chiefs, were also detained.

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