🇩🇿AlgeriaNorth Africa
IMETAL corruption scandal: up to 10 years in prison requested against senior officials
via Algérie3603 min read
The Algiers Court prosecutor has requested severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and confiscation of seized assets, for defendants in a corruption case involving the public mining, steel, and metallurgical industries group IMETAL and its subsidiaries. The verdict is scheduled for May 5. The prosecutor sought 10 years for the main defendant, "L.A.", CEO of the Sider group, and 8 years for "M. Mohamed Chérif", deputy general manager of administration for the El Hadjar steel complex. Other defendants, including "A. Aârab", operations director at the National Recovery and Valorization Company, and "F. Kamel", "K. Fouad", "B. Chouaïb", "B. Khaled", "B. Sadek", "O. Kamel", face sentences ranging from 5 to 8 years. A fine of 8 million Algerian dinars was also requested against the companies involved. The charges include granting undue advantages in state contracts, money laundering, abuse of office, and intentional embezzlement of public funds. Previously, on December 15, the Sidi M'hamed economic and financial criminal division had issued convictions up to 15 years, with "L.A." receiving 6 years and a 1 million dinar fine. "A. Aârab" and others received 3 years and a 500,000 dinar fine. "B. Chouaïb", owner of the "House" company, was sentenced to 5 years and a 1 million dinar fine. Lighter sentences were given to other defendants, including suspended sentences. "Belarbi Anis", CEO of the National Recovery Company, and "Chegraoui Ahmed Amine", who are fugitives, were
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