BOUMERDES- The president of the criminal chamber at the Court of Boumerdes announced, Wednesday at the end of the session of the appeal trial of Abdelghani Hamel, his son Chafik and former officials of the wilaya of Tipasa, that the verdict will be delivered on April 20.
This announcement relating to the appeal trial of this case, taking place with a new judicial component, was made after completion of the defense pleadings and the hearing of the accused.
The defense collective of the defendants pleaded their innocence of all the charges brought against them, because they were not based on “no material evidence”, according to the lawyers.
On the fourth day of the trial, the defense collective affirmed that the request made by Hamel Chafik to benefit from a contract for the concession of real estate for investment purposes, the subject of the prosecution of all the defendants, is “legal and was carried out in accordance with legal procedures, without the intervention of his father in this matter”.
The Attorney General at the Court of Boumerdès requested, on Tuesday, on the third day of the session of the appeal trial of the former Director General of National Security (DGSN), Abdelghani Hamel, his son Chafik and former officials of the wilaya of Tipasa, the hardening of the sentences for all the defendants prosecuted in this case.
In his pleadings, he demanded that the accused Djamel Kheznadji, former Director General of State Domains, acquitted at first instance, should receive a sentence of five (05) years in prison with a fine of 500,000 DA.
The Boumerdes Court of First Instance delivered its verdict in this case on June 4, 2020, sentencing the former DGSN, Abdelghani Hamel and the former wali of Tipasa Moussa Ghelaï to twelve years (12 years) in prison.
He also confirmed the sentence of 10 years in prison against each of the ex-walis of Tipasa, Kadi Abdelkader and Layadi Mustapha, as well as the sentence of three (3) years in prison against Chafik Hamel (son of the former DGSN ) and Salim Djai Djai, ex-chief of security in the wilaya of Tipasa.
The same court handed down, in the same case, a 4-year suspended prison sentence to the former Minister of Finance, Hadji Baba Ammi, and 5 years in prison for the former director of the Tipasa’s estates, Ali Bouamrane.
A sentence of two (2) years in prison was pronounced against the former Director of Industry and Mines of Tipasa, Haddou Abderrezak, and the former Land Registrar of Koléa, Mohamed Bouamama.
The same court sentenced the private investor Zerad Abdelhakim to one year in prison and the acquittal of the former Director General of Domains, Kheznadji Djamel.
As a reminder, the decision to reopen the trial with a new judicial component comes after an appeal in cassation lodged with the Supreme Court at the request of the collective defense.
The defendants in this case are prosecuted for several charges, including, among others, “embezzlement of agricultural land”, “squandering of public funds”, “abuse of office”, and “influence peddling”.
