Sonatrach case: Sentences ranging from 3 to 12 years in prison required

BY: Hana Saada

ALGIERS-  The Attorney General at the Court of Algiers, on Tuesday, requested sentences ranging from 3 to 12 years in prison against the defendants in the Sonatrach case, prosecuted for acts of corruption, including 3 former CEOs of the company .

The public prosecutor has requested 12 years in prison against former minister Ammar Ghoul and the two former CEOs of Sonatrach Abdelmoumen Ould Keddour and Mohamed Meziane.

A sentence of 10 years in prison was requested against former minister Noureddine Bouterfa, 5 years in prison against the former CEO of Sonatrach, Abdelhamid Zerguine, and sentences ranging from 3 to 8 years in prison against the rest of the defendants, prosecuted for “wasting public funds, embezzlement and conclusion of public contracts contrary to the regulations in force”.

The economic and financial criminal pole of Sidi M’hamed sentenced  the defendants, at first instance, to sentences ranging from 20 years in prison to acquittal.

The same pole condemned the former Minister of Energy and Mines, Chekib Khelil to 20 years in prison and the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Bejaoui to 5 years in prison, with the  confirmation of the international arrest warrant issued against them.