Three former Algerian presidential candidates have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption, following a high-profile trial that has rocked the country’s political scene.
Businesswoman Saïda Neghza, former minister Belkacem Sahli, and pharmaceutical executive Abdelhakim Hamadi were all found guilty on Monday and fined one million dinars (approximately €6,700) for their roles in a vote-buying scheme linked to the 2024 presidential election.
The three had launched bids to contest the presidency in the September 2024 election, but their candidacies were disqualified by the Algerian Constitutional Court. Authorities accused them of purchasing endorsements from elected officials to secure the sponsorships required to qualify for the ballot.
In August 2024, prosecutors revealed that at least 50 elected officials admitted to accepting bribes in exchange for supporting the candidates’ campaigns. The investigation eventually uncovered a wider web of corruption, resulting in convictions for around 70 individuals.
Saïda Neghza’s three sons were also implicated, receiving prison sentences ranging from five to eight years for their involvement in aiding and abetting as well as money laundering.
Despite the guilty verdict, Neghza, Sahli, and Hamadi remain free and have 10 days to appeal the court’s ruling.
The case has drawn significant attention in Algeria, highlighting ongoing concerns about transparency and integrity in the country’s electoral process. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ultimately won the 2024 election, in what observers described as a predictable outcome.
