Ex-Algerian minister sentenced to jail in corruption case involving government contracts

Former Algerian Industry Minister Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

A court in Algiers has sentenced Ali Aoun, a former Algerian Industry Minister, to five years in prison for corruption. The conviction is part of a high-profile case that also involves several other senior officials.

The Economic and Financial Criminal Court in Algiers ordered Aoun to pay a fine of 1 million Algerian dinar (approximately $7,500) as part of the sentence. Prosecutors had initially sought a 12-year sentence for Aoun, but the court reduced it to five years.

According to reports, the case centers on allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and unlawful awarding of industrial and investment contracts related to the trade in ferrous waste and copper residues. Several other officials were also convicted as part of the same case, including Mehdi Aoun, the former minister’s son, who received a six-year prison term.

Other defendants, including investors, an official at a state-owned business, and a prominent businessman, received sentences ranging from three to 10 years. The convictions are part of an ongoing anticorruption drive launched by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in 2019.

The case involves several senior officials, including those from the era of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The anticorruption campaign aims to target corruption at all levels of government and society.

Source: Al Jazeera