On charges of speculation, money laundering, and granting privileges
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Late on Monday night, the acting investigating judge in the second chamber ordered the temporary detention of the current acting general manager of the “Steam” Tobacco Company, “A. Zahreddine,” along with a number of other employees of the company and private traders, for incidents of corruption.
On Monday, July 20, the current acting general manager of the “Steam” tobacco company, Mr. Zahreddine, appeared before the second chamber of the Economic and Financial Criminal Court in Sidi M’hamed, along with 3 other employees of the company and private dealers and wholesale tobacco dealers, for incidents of corruption.
Investigations into the scandal that affected the mixed Algerian-Emirati tobacco company “Steam” were carried out by the Internal Security Services, which expanded their investigations to include inspections of the company and the suspects’ residences, subjecting them to an in-depth investigation for a full week, before they were presented on Monday, July 20, before the Public Prosecutor at the Pole.
The defendants are being prosecuted before the investigating judge, according to “Al-Shorouk” sources, on very heavy charges, related to the misdemeanors of forming an organized criminal group, illegal speculation, granting unjustified privileges to others, concluding contracts in violation of legislative and regulatory provisions, abusing the position and providing facilities granted by professional activity within the framework of a criminal group, and money laundering, in addition to the misdemeanor of fraudulently entering data into the automated processing system.
More than 8 months ago, Al-Qutb began extensive investigations into corruption involving the Algerian-Emirati mixed tobacco company “Spa Steam,” during which the investigating judge issued numerous orders to temporarily detain several officials and executives of the company, along with tobacco dealers and wholesalers.
Among the officials followed in the case file, and who were placed in the penal institution, are the president and general director of the “Madar” public complex, and the former president of the Algerian Football Federation, Charafeddine Amara, as the investigating judge in the second chamber of the same judicial body ordered, on December 21, his imprisonment, to pursue him on suspicion of corruption related to the Algerian partnership of the National Tobacco Company with the Emirati company specializing in tobacco and sulfur.
The so-called “M.A.,” the owner of the Emirates Tobacco and Match Company, was also placed in temporary detention with a number of defendants to follow them in a corruption case related to the illegal transfer and smuggling of money into the UAE, along with money laundering and their illegal acquisition of real estate in the most prestigious neighborhoods of the capital.
Referring to the details of the current case, its facts date back to last November 13, after it was investigated by the Central Authority for Combating Organized Crime in an attempt that presented the defendants to the Pole Court Prosecution, and after referring them for investigation, they were charged with charges included in the Anti-Corruption Prevention Law related to charges of money laundering, suspicion of violating the legislation and regulation related to exchange and the movement of capital to and from abroad, a misdemeanor of illicit enrichment, and a misdemeanor of conflict of interest and money laundering.
