-
Brother of Algeria’s Bouteflika appears in court, refuses to testify

The jailed brother and key aide of former Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika appeared in court Saturday as a witness in a graft trial involving millions of dollars, but refused to respond to questions.
Said Bouteflika was seen as the real power behind the throne after the debilitating 2013 stroke suffered by his brother, who quit office in April following weeks of mass protests against his bid for a fifth term.
The former regime insider had been summoned as a witness in the trial of businessmen and former officials on corruption charges involving millions of dollars in funding for his brother’s aborted campaign.
Said was sentenced in September, along with several other high-level regime officials, to 15 years in jail for “conspiring” against the state and undermining the authority of the army.
In court on Saturday, he gave his name but refused to respond to questions by the judge or a prosecutor.
The judge ordered that he be sent back to the military prison in Blida where he is serving his sentence.
The prosecutor had called for Said Bouteflika to testify in the case of tycoon Ali Haddad - jailed for holding two passports - who is now caught up in an investigation over alleged corruption during the former president’s final campaign.
The ageing president’s February announcement that he would run for a fifth term in office triggered the mass demonstrations that forced both his resignation and the cancellation of the April poll.
Haddad and several other business figures seen as close to the regime are accused of graft and malpractice involving millions of dollars, donated by the country’s nascent car-making industry, which was spent in murky circumstances.
Said Bouteflika’s detention in May was part of a wave of arrests targeting the ousted president’s inner circle.
But many fear the detentions are little more than a high-level purge in a power struggle between still-powerful regime insiders, rather than a genuine effort to reform the state.
Algeria is due to hold a contentious presidential election on December 12, which protesters - who have continued to take to the streets - dismiss as an illegitimate attempt by the establishment to consolidate its power.
source: AFP
Tags
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!