BY/ Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The Public Prosecutor at the Economic and Financial Penal Pole of the Sidi Mhamed Tribunal has called for strict penalties against former Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui and former Minister of Health Abdelmalek Boudiaf.
The prosecutor has requested an eight-year prison sentence and a fine of one million DA against Bedoui and Boudiaf, who are being prosecuted for their involvement in a dubious contract related to the Constantine airport project during their tenure as walis in the region.
Along with 41 other defendants, the two former officials have been charged with squandering public funds, abuse of power, abuse of influence, and granting undue privileges.
In addition, the Public Prosecutor has requested a five-year prison sentence and a fine of one million DA against Tahar Sekran, a former wali of Constantine, and Benyoucef Aziz, a former secretary general of the same wilaya.
The prosecutor has also called for sentences ranging from three to five years in prison for 40 other defendants involved in the same case, including former wilaya directors in Constantine, entrepreneurs, and owners of design offices.
The tribunal has determined that the cost of the project was significantly inflated and that substantial sums were wasted in the process. The project was also delivered ten years later than the 48-month timeline specified in the agreement.
