The trial of several Algerian ministers and businessmen, including Ali Haddad, resumed on Thursday at the Sidi M'Hamed court in Algiers. Haddad, the former head of the Algerian Forum of Entrepreneurs (FCE) and owner of the ETRHB group, is accused of money laundering and illicit financing of Abdelaziz Bouteflika's re-election campaign. During his testimony, Haddad revealed that Bouteflika's brother, Saïd, had contacted him on January 25 to solicit his help for the campaign.
According to Haddad, Saïd Bouteflika asked him to collect funds for the campaign and to contact Abdelmalek Sellal and Amara Benyounès to oversee the process. Haddad claimed that he was later asked to recover a large sum of money, estimated at 700 or 800 billion centimes, from the campaign's headquarters in Hydra. The judge questioned Haddad about his role in handling the funds, to which he replied that Saïd Bouteflika was in charge of the campaign and had asked him to keep the money safe in his office.
Haddad's testimony was corroborated by Ahmed Mazouz, who claimed to have handed over a cheque worth 39 billion centimes to Haddad for the campaign. The court also heard from Mahmoud Chaïd, the former finance chief of the campaign, who revealed that Haddad had instructed him to withdraw 19 billion centimes from a bank account. Chaïd's testimony seemed to contradict Haddad's claims, as he stated that the money was withdrawn in three phases and handed over to Malik Hadj-Saïd, a senior official at ETRHB.
Malik Hadj-Saïd's testimony further implicated Haddad in the alleged embezzlement of funds. Hadj-Saïd claimed that Haddad had asked him to collect the money from Mohamed Aouarhoun and transport it to his office in Dar El Beïda. When questioned about the whereabouts of 75 billion centimes, Hadj-Saïd simply stated that "all the money is exhausted". The judge noted a discrepancy of 6 billion centimes in the accounts, which Haddad attributed to expenses documented by his lawyers.
The court also heard from other witnesses, including Arbaoui, who denied allegations that he had donated 20 vehicles and 20 billion centimes to the campaign. Arbaoui claimed that he had only sold 15 vehicles to the Medias Temps d'Algérie company. The judge concluded the hearings related to the financing of Bouteflika's campaign and proceeded to question witnesses about the alleged irregularities in the automotive sector.
The trial is part of a broader investigation into corruption and embezzlement allegations against several high-profile Algerian officials and businessmen. The case has sparked widespread public interest and scrutiny of the country's business and political elite. The prosecution's questioning of Haddad and other witnesses has shed light on the opaque financial dealings surrounding Bouteflika's failed bid for a fifth term.
The trial is expected to continue with further testimony from witnesses and defendants. The outcome of the trial remains uncertain, but it has already led to significant public debate about corruption and accountability in Algeria. The case has also raised questions about the role of powerful businessmen and politicians in shaping the country's politics and economy.
Key points
- Ali Haddad denies any wrongdoing and claims that all expenses related to the campaign were documented.
- The trial has revealed significant discrepancies in the handling of funds for Bouteflika's re-election campaign.
- Several high-profile Algerian officials and businessmen are implicated in the alleged embezzlement of funds.
