An Algerian court has ordered Mokhtar Reguieg, Chief of Protocol of the Presidency, to be held under temporary detention, as part of an investigation into corruption cases.
Reguieg is facing charges related to the abuse of power and smuggling subsidized commodities, in addition to violating the legislation and regulation on exchange and the movement of capital in return for unjustified privileges.
A judicial source, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he is accused of exploiting his power as a high-ranking official at the presidency, where he served for eight years, to allow prominent businessmen to get government banking loans and facilitation in importing.
The same source affirmed that several executive directors in ministries and government bodies and officials in financial authorities will be summoned to court soon to be interrogated regarding their role in the squandering of huge funds during former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s time in office from 1999 to 2019.
The Court of Sidi M’hamed in Algiers sentenced late last year former prime ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal to 15 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
Other ministers and businessmen were sentenced for accepting bribes and exploiting their posts to provide unearned privileges. They were close to former Bouteflika and his brother Said, who in turn received a sentence of 15 years in prison on charges of conspiracy against the state and army.
Activists and attorneys demanded that Abdelaziz Bouteflika be summoned for questioning because the imprisoned officials were following his orders and policies.
Human rights activist Hassan Bouras is leading a campaign demanding that he brought to trial.
