Finance minister and former police chief in Algerian court on graft
Finance minister Mohamed Loukal, who was appointed in March, appeared in Algiers as part of a probe into suspected misuse of public funds
Algiers — Algeria’s finance minister and former police chief appeared in court on Monday, joining a list of powerful figures to face judicial investigations since mass protests forced the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika early in April. Finance minister Mohamed Loukal — a former central bank governor who got the job from Bouteflika only in March — appeared in Algiers as part of an investigation into suspected misuse of public funds, state TV reported. Former police chief Abdelghani Hamel — who was sacked in 2018 by Bouteflika for undisclosed reasons — and his son appeared in Tipaza, west of the capital, as part of an investigation into “illegal activities, influence peddling, misappropriation of land and abuse of office”, state TV said. There was no immediate comment from any of the men or lawyers defending them. Under the Algerian legal system judges can look into ongoing investigations and decide whether to put people in custody or release them until inquiries are com...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.