ALGIERS- The economic and financial penal pole at the tribunal of Sidi M’hamed (Algiers) adjourned, on Wednesday, the trials of the case of the agri-food group “Benamor” and the former wali Mustapha Layadi, to February 23.
The trials were adjourned due to the absence, for health reasons, of former Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, prosecuted in the Benamor case, and of a defense lawyer for the former wali.
Mustapha Layadi is being prosecuted with other defendants for corruption and abuse of office when he was wali of Médéa. He was sentenced, in another case, to a 4-year prison term with a fine of one (1 ) million DA for squandering of public funds, abuse of office, granting of undue privileges in violation of the regulations and legislation in force and influence peddling of public officials when signing contracts with public bodies to obtain undue advantages.
Are prosecuted in the case of the Benamor group, in addition to the owners, up to twenty defendants, including the former Prime Ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, for squandering of public funds, money laundering, obtaining undue advantages and illegal exploitation of agricultural land.
