A court in Algeria has reduced the sentence of former water minister Arzegui Baraki from 10 years to 7 years in prison. Baraki was convicted of corruption charges related to his time as director of the National Agency for Dams and Transfers.
The court also reduced the sentence of Baraki’s son, A.B., to two years in prison. Three other defendants also had their sentences reduced. The remaining defendants in the case, which includes members of Baraki’s family, bank executives, and members of the agency’s bid committee, had their sentences upheld.
The defendants were charged with a variety of corruption offenses, including:
Granting unjustified privileges to third parties when signing contracts and deals that violated legislative and regulatory provisions
Bribery in the field of public contracts
Abuse of influence, misuse of office, and conflict of interest
Money laundering in the context of an organized criminal group
Unexplained wealth
Demanding or accepting an undue benefit in order to perform a job
The public treasury, which was established in the case as a civil party, requested financial compensation of 500 million dinars from the court for damages it suffered as a result of corruption in projects and public contracts related to the construction of dams in several provinces.
The ruling is a victory for the Algerian government’s anti-corruption efforts. It is also a sign that the government is committed to holding accountable those who abuse their power for personal gain.
