By Arezki Daoud: The political crisis in Algeria has brought to the fore the extent of the state of the bankruptcy in governance, and indeed the outright control of the government by criminal elements. Collectively, the men who have been and are still in power represent a real and dangerous criminal network. So far, dozens of former senior officials, including two Prime Ministers, have been sent to prison while charges against them continue to pile. The judiciary, under the control of the military command is attempting to clean up the mess but has been very selective. This is because many individuals, from ministers to the current head of FLN political party and many Members of Parliament appear untouchable and yet, they are all implicated in criminal activity. In their approach to cornering former officials, judges have followed the money trail, and started deconstructing the relationships tying the so-called oligarchs to former officials. Many of the oligarchs (not all) have been arrested on charges of financial fraud and corruption, but in reality, they are being punished for having had strong ties with the former head of the notorious intelligence outfit, the DRS, Mohamed Mediene, and by extension the president’s brother, Said Bouteflika. The military command headed by General Gaid Salah has diverted the judiciary to eliminate its foes who have deeply manipulated by the DRS. Regardless, most Algerians endorse this vendetta disguised as an anti-corruption campaign, but everyone is concerned about the future of the tens of thousands of workers employed by these businessmen. One of them, Mahiedine Tahkout is now being used by investigators to unravel a thick web of corruption that touched virtually every ministry.
The list of individuals charged by courts reads like a Who’s Who of Algeria’s political and security elite of the past 20 years. Just last week, the former Director General of National Police, Abdelghani Hamel, and 18 other individuals including members of Hamel’s family, former Governors and property developers appeared in the Sidi M’Hamed court, in Algiers. They were all accused of land diversion and illicit enrichment. All have been detained pending trial. The following day, a court placed in pre-trial detention the heads of two luxury seaside gated communities in the capital and Tipasa. The two directors are tied to the cases of former Police Chief, retired Major General Abdelghani Hamel, with charges including public funds squandering, illicit enrichment, money laundering, incitement to abuse of power and abuse of office. Similarly, the Supreme court issued a detention warrant against former Minister of Solidarity Djamel Ould Abbes. He is now in the notorious El Harrach prison, where all the other arrested ministers are jailed. Just like the other suspects, Ould Abbes is prosecuted in cases of alleged public funds misappropriation, abuse of power and the signing of contracts in manners that go against current procurement regulation, which date back to the time when he was Minister of Solidarity and Family. Another former Minister, Said Barkat, has also been detained on 8 July for similar types of accusations.
One of the cases with international ramification is the arrest of former Minister of Industry and Mines, Youcef Yousfi. He was detained on 10 July, with the prosecution’s office of the Supreme Court listing many similar charges of awarding of public contracts in illegal manners, contract irregularities, squandering public funds, and abuse of power. In addition to Yousfi, Abdelhafid Feghouli, a former vice-president of Sonatrach, was also taken into custody the same day in what promised to be a resurrection of Sonatrach’s many financial scandals involving major foreign companies. Already Canada’s SNC-Lavalin has been cited by Algerian Judges.
And the campaign continue: On 14 July, former Minister of Public Works and Transport, Abdelghani Zaalane, the ex-Minister of Labor and Social Security, Mohamed El-Ghazi, Senator Ali Talbi and the former Police Chief Abdelghani Hamel appeared before a court in Cheraga, Algiers, with seven other defendants including the son of Mohamed El-Ghazi to be questioned in their role in a new scandal that has recently emerged after the police raided an apartment in the Moretti suburb of Algiers and seized large sums of money amounting to DZD 131.4 million, €270,000 and US$30,000 in addition to 17 kilograms of jewelry. The police found documents that tie the seized assets to the defendants. Following the hearing, the judge ordered seven of the defendants sent to Kolea prison, on charges for money laundering, illegal capital movements and abuse of power. The court has now asked the Algerian parliament to lift the immunity of another Senator, Ali Talbi, who has been implicated in this new scandal. The day after he was questioned by a judge, former Minister of Public Works and Transport, Abdelghani Zaâlane, was placed under judicial review (15 July) not related to the discovery of the cash, but in relations to his dealings with businessman Mahieddine Tahkout. Others waiting to face judges include former Minister of Transport and Public Works, Amar Ghoul, and several other senior officials have appeared before the Supreme court to be probed on their roles in corruption cases tied to the massive East-West Highway construction project. [Update: Amar Ghoul is now in jail – see video below]
Likewise, former Minister of Industry and Mines Youcef Yousfi was also sent to jail on 14 July, but Algerians are waiting for the day former Super-Ministers are brought to justice. These are ministers that are sheltered abroad either because they know too much about corruption involving very large international corporations or have the citizenship of a Western country and are protected. In one case, tThe Algerian Supreme court issued an international arrest warrant against the former Minister of Industry and Mines, Abdeslam Bouchouareb, for his role in various cases of economic crimes and corruption. He is likely hiding in France and he is believed to be holding French citizenship. Another court has once again ordered former Minister of Energy and ex Chief Executive Officer of the Algerian oil company Sonatrach, Chakib Khelil, to appear on 14 July in a case where he alleged to have taken bribes, misused public funds, and infringed on foreign exchange legislation. As expected he did not show up and he allegedly took refuge in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Algeria.
Although this anti-corruption campaign should be welcomed, and give the impression that Algerian military chiefs want to restore some sanity in governance, the reality rejects this argument due to the fact that many current officials are naturally implicated in the same cases but are operating unhindered. Therefore the campaign is not aimed at corruption but at settling scores. The best example of this fact is that the current minister of tourism Abdelkader Benmessaoud was officially charged this week of committing economic crimes, but left the court under the rule of “provisional release.” While he was wali (Govenor) of Tissemssilt, Benmessaoud has made illegal deals with jailed businessman Mahieddine Tahkout that should land him in prison.
The problem facing Algeria today is the complete lack of credibility of the regime and its faces in government. It will be extremely challenging for Algeria to maintain a sense of respect in international gatherings and in global affairs. Should the regime insists on keeping the status quo, it will only get worse.
