Algerian court orders arrest of three business magnates

By Hassan Jibril

ALGIERS (AA) - A court in Algiers on Wednesday ordered the arrest of three prominent businessmen close to former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika on charges of corruption.

According to Algeria’s private Echorouk television channel, the Sidi Mohamed Magistrate Court ordered the arrest of the three brothers -- Reda, Karim and Noah Coninav -- known locally as the “Coninav Brothers”.

All three are prominent businessmen with considerable holdings in Algeria’s industrial, petrochemical and telecommunications sectors.

The trio is also known for its close links to the former president and his influential brother, Said.

The three brothers were initially detained last week for allegedly “abusing their influence and failing to fulfill obligations as stipulated in government contracts”.

Wednesday's court order comes one day after the same court ordered the arrest of billionaire Issad Rebrab, known as the “richest man in Algeria”, on corruption charges.

Late last month, Ali Haddad, another prominent Algerian businessman, was similarly detained amid allegations of corruption.

Haddad is the former chairman of Algeria’s Business Leaders Forum, which is known for being composed largely of pro-Bouteflika businesspeople.

Notably, the latest spate of arrests comes only days after Algerian army chief Ahmed Gaid Saleh pledged to crack down on corruption.

Last week, Algerians staged massive demonstrations in the capital -- for the ninth consecutive week -- to demand that the country’s post-Bouteflika authorities open investigations into all Bouteflika-era graft cases.

The 82-year-old Bouteflika, who had ruled Algeria since 1999, announced his resignation early this month following weeks of popular protests against his rule.