Former Algerian minister sentenced to 7 years in jail for illicit enrichment

Several prison sentences have been handed down over the past few months to previous regime officials

Members of the Research and Intervention Brigades stand guard outside a court during the trial of Abdelmalek Boudiaf in Algiers. Reuters

The Sidi M’hamed court in Algiers has sentenced former health minister Abdelmalek Boudiaf to seven years in prison for charges relating to alleged ‘illicit enrichment.’

The court’s economic and financial criminal division also ordered him to pay a fine of nearly $30,000 on Tuesday, the Algerian press service reported.

Abdelmalek Boudiaf was being prosecuted for illicit enrichment, money laundering and concealment of stolen goods.

The former minister has also been accused of abusing power and granting unjustified advantages to unnamed individuals for certain contracts and projects.

Mr Boudiaf’s family members have also been involved in the case including his son, who was also sentenced to four years in prison, and his daughter who was given an 18-month suspended jail sentence.

Mr Boudiaf’s wife has been acquitted of charges relating to the same case.

The same court also handed an 18-month prison sentence to the former acting director general of the Algerian Central Pharmacy, M’hamed Ayad, who also faced corruption charges relating to illicit enrichment.

Sentences up to four years in prison were handed down to other defendants in the same case.

Corruption trials of former Algerian regime affiliates over the past few months have resulted in several indictments, including that of Said Bouteflika, brother of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika who was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a court in February.