Algeria’s Former Energy Minister Faces 20-Year Jail Term

The prosecutor’s office has demanded 20 years jail term over a case of corruption against former Algerian energy minister Chakib Khelil, who served for 10 years under President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

According to reports, the prosecutor of the Sidi M’hamed court in Algiers has requested 20 years in prison for Chakib Khelil and 10 years for the former head of the state-owned hydrocarbon giant Sonatrach, Mohamed Meziane, who is on trial in the same case.

The former strongman of the hydrocarbons sector in Algeria is being tried in absentia while Mr Meziane is serving a prison sentence in Algeria in another case.

The prison sentences come with heavy fines and the confiscation of all of Khelil’s assets as well as those of his family.

The prosecutor’s office also asked for the confirmation of the international arrest warrant issued in 2019 against Khelil, who is reported to be on the run abroad.

The two former senior officials are being prosecuted along with other co-defendants for “corruption in the Arzew (Oran, west) gas complex affair”, “granting undue privileges”, “abuse of office” and “concluding contracts in violation of laws and regulations”.

During the trial, several foreign companies active in the energy sector were also being prosecuted.

Khelil, aged 82, left the government in 2010 after being accused of financial malpractice against the CEO and senior executives of the then Sonatrach group, who were eventually convicted.