Prosecutors seek year-long jail term for Algeria's richest man

Issad Rebrab is accused of tax, banking and Customs offences

Algerian protesters face riot police during a demonstration against the ruling class in the capital Algiers. AFP / RYAD KRAMDI

Algerian prosecutors on Tuesday sought a one-year prison sentence for the country's richest man, Issad Rebrab, who went on trial accused of tax, banking and Customs offences.

The 74-year-old, who heads Algeria's biggest private conglomerate Cevital, was one of several tycoons arrested in April as part of a corruption investigation.

The probe followed the resignation of president Abdelaziz Bouteflika after weeks of mass protests against his 20-year rule.

Rebrab is being tried along with two companies, Cevital's subsidiary Evcon and the Housing Bank for Trade and Finance in Jordan, national news agency APS reported.

They are charged with breaking laws on foreign exchange and fund transfers, forgery and false Customs declarations.

Mr Rebrab has denied the accusations.

Forbes magazine lists him as Algeria's richest man and the sixth-wealthiest in Africa, with a net worth of $3.9 billion (Dh14.3bn) in 2019.

Cevital employs 18,000 people. It produces electronics, steel and food, and in recent years has acquired businesses in France.

While his businesses flourished under Mr Bouteflika's rule, Mr Rebrab backed the protests that ultimately forced the president to resign in April.

His company has said it was "astonished" by his arrest.

On Saturday, Algeria's new prime minister Abdelaziz Djerad pledged to regain trust by working with Algerians to surmount the economic and social challenges confronting the north African country.

Algeria's 10-month-old protest movement has rejected the old political elite and new President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, elected last month, as part of the same corrupt system that has ruled since independence in 1962. They have asked for them to be replaced and for full political reform, however, the government has launched a number of anti-corruption arrests in an attempt to appease them.

A number of protesters, journalists and artists have also been arrested in a drive to stifle dissenting voices.

The December 12 presidential election was boycotted by a large part of the electorate, but Mr Tebboune won with 58.1 per cent of the vote on a turnout of less than 40 per cent, according to official results, and was sworn in on December 19.

Last week, army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah died. He had been the country's de facto strongman in recent months and guardian of the ruling system challenged by the protesters.