An Algerian court has reportedly summoned two close aides of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and current Finance Minister Mohamed Loukal, in charges of wasting of public money.
According to a report coming from Africa News, the Algerian state TV on Saturday reported Ouyahia and Loukal are being investigated over dissipation of public money and illegal privilege. No more details were immediately made available.
The ruling follows an appeal made by the army chief, Lieutenant General Gaid Salah, who said last week he expected members of the Algerian ruling elite to be prosecuted for corruption. He said the military was taking into consideration all options to resolve the ongoing national political crisis and warned time is running out.
The anti-government protests, which began on Feb. 22, have been largely peaceful and have continued to demand the removal of the government elite that has governed Algeria since independence from France in 1962 and the prosecution of people they see as corrupt.
Bouteflika stepped down earlier this month after 20 years in power, bowing to pressure from the army and weeks of demonstrations and protests mainly by young people seeking change in the country. Ouyahia served several times as prime minister under Bouteflika, while Loukal was central bank governor under the former president. Ouyahia also heads the RND party, the coalition partner of Bouteflika’s ruling FLN party.
Abdelkader Bensalah, head of the upper house of parliament, has replaced Bouteflika as interim president for 90 days until a presidential election on July 4. But, protestors who are demanding a complete radical change continued their protests on Friday to demand the resignation of Bensalah, interim Prime Minister Noureddine Bedouin, and other top officials.
Notably, Tayib Belaiz, chairman of Algeria’s Constitutional Council and one among those senior “B” officials, stepped down earlier this week.
