Oran prosecutor clarifies Kamel Daoud's conviction, refutes allegations of targeting
via Algérie3602 min read
Boumediene Rozale, Deputy Attorney General at the Oran Court, clarified the case of Kamel Daoud, who was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison and a fine. Rozale stated that the public action and criminal proceedings were initiated not by the prosecutor's office, but following complaints filed by victims. He specified that Kamel Daoud is being prosecuted by the National Organization of Victims of Terrorism and by the plaintiff Saâda Arabane. Rozale emphasized that criminal procedure guarantees victims the right to initiate public action independently of the prosecutor's office by filing a complaint with the investigating judge, who is legally obligated to open and complete an investigation. He also noted that Daoud was summoned multiple times to his last known address in Oran, and the investigation lasted over a year, providing him an opportunity to appear and present his defense. Following the investigation, the case was transferred to the Fellaoucene court's correctional section, where Daoud was again summoned to several hearings. The trial concluded with a judgment in absentia, imposing the minimum legal penalty: three years imprisonment, a 300,000 dinar fine, and damages for the association of terrorism victims. Rozale reminded that Daoud has the right to file an objection, which would annul the default judgment. Kamel Daoud had previously been convicted a week prior in a separate case brought by the National Organization of Victims of Terrorism. A second case is
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Djahid Zefizef, former president of the Algerian Football Federation FAF, has been placed in provisional detention at Koléa prison. This decision was made by the investigating judge at the Sidi M’hamed economic and financial penal division on Tuesday, April 28. Zefizef is being prosecuted in a new corruption case related to the company "Frigomedit," which specializes in industrial refrigeration and which he previously managed. He had been under judicial supervision since November 2023, with his passport confiscated and a ban on leaving the country. The investigation involves 60 individuals, with seven placed in provisional detention. Zefizef was elected FAF president in June 2022, succeeding Charaf-Eddine Amara, but resigned in July 2023 after failing to secure a position on the Confederation of African Football's Executive Committee. In addition to the "Frigomedit" case, Zefizef is also under investigation alongside other former FAF officials, including Kheireddine Zetchi, who is currently in detention, and Charaf-Eddine Amara. The charges in this broader investigation include abuse of office, illegal procurement, and money laundering, stemming from contracts concluded in violation of legal procedures to grant undue advantages and the misappropriation of public funds. Irregularities in the management of sporting events like CHAN-2023 and CAN U17, as well as excessive spending and controversial contracts with a foreign travel agency, are also part of the inquiry.
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