Court rules against former presidential advisor Mohamed Bouakkaz

The Bir Mourad Raïs Criminal Court handed down a harsh sentence this Thursday against Mohamed Bouakkaz, former Director General of Protocol at the Presidency of the Republic. He was sentenced to five years in prison for abuse of office and illicit enrichment. The judgment also included a fine of 600,000 dinars and compensation of one million dinars to be paid to the public treasury.

Mohamed Bouakkaz sentenced to five years in prison for abuse of office and illicit enrichment

The former senior official, visibly stunned by the verdict, reacted with palpable emotion upon hearing the sentence. “Five years in prison? Why? I didn’t do anything!” he shouted before collapsing in his lawyer’s arms, disrupting the courtroom. Family members present were shaken by the announcement, some bursting into tears as police tried to maintain order.

During his trial, held on April 9, Mohamed Bouakkaz vigorously denied the accusations against him. He highlighted his “impeccable record” and his dedication to the state, highlighting his successful career. However, the defense, composed of lawyers Allegue, Chama, and Behabyles, highlighted several irregularities in the proceedings, particularly regarding the valuation of the incriminated assets.

The case file highlights certain assets attributed to Bouakkaz, such as a modest residence in the Sebala region, an old vehicle, and an unfinished building in the Boudouaou region. The lawyers disputed the accumulation of these assets in a single transaction, explaining that some were acquired through bank loans and others were financed by selling personal belongings.

Five years in prison and a heavy fine for the former protocol director

The defense also questioned the ownership of certain assets by their client, citing an apartment in the name of Bouakkaz’s sister-in-law, as well as a family residence in the United Kingdom, wrongly attributed to his wife. As for the accusations of receiving luxury watches as gifts, these were rejected by the defense, who pointed out the absence of any material evidence in this regard.

Another point raised by the defense was the credibility of the key witness, Merzak Rouijali, who, according to them, recanted his statements and whose current income also seems to raise suspicions about the source of his wealth.

The prosecutor requested a harsher sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of one million dinars. At the same time, the representative of the Public Treasury requested five million dinars in compensation.

The verdict, which shook the defendant and his family, was greeted with dismay by the defense, which now has ten days to appeal. This trial highlights the tensions surrounding the management of personal enrichment in high-level political and administrative circles.

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