Former Sonatrach CEO extradited to Algeria over corruption allegations
The former head of the hydrocarbon giant, Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, has been extradited by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Algeria following the issuance of an international arrest warrant issued against him after he was charged for his involvement in various corruption cases.
Algerian state television broadcast images of Kaddour arriving at the airport in handcuffs and under police custody. In this regard, the Algerian authorities claimed that Ould Kaddour is involved in several corruption cases linked to deals allegedly signed by the Sinotrach company during the mandate of Abdelaziz Boutelfika. These cases include the purchase of the Augusta refinery in Sicily from Exxon Mobil Corp in 2018.
At the end of 2019, Algeria issued an international arrest warrant for him after his name appeared in 11 different corruption cases linked to some businessmen connected to Boutelfika's Algerian military regime. Thus, last March, the Dubai police arrested Kaddour as soon as he landed at the Emirati airport after his name appeared on the Interpol red notice and he was ordered to be prevented from leaving the country.
The UAE's handover to Algeria of the former head of Sonatrach confirms the commitment of both countries in bilateral relations regarding agreements and treaties pertaining to the extradition of wanted persons and criminals to their countries. According to international analysts, the UAE is a country committed to international extradition laws, thus being a reliable economic and financial country at the international level.
In terms of cooperation, the UAE and Algeria have been subject to an agreement on judicial cooperation, enforcement of sentences and extradition of criminals since October 1983, before it was reactivated in October 2017.
According to the Algerian judiciary, "his involvement in the transfer of certain oil fields to oil projects in southern Algeria in favour of foreign companies". Similarly, he was accused of "violating the laws in force by renewing the contract of a Spanish oil company in the gas fields (Ain Amenas) in southern Algeria for a period of 20 new years" and yet another corruption case.
The former CEO of Sonatrach continues with other corruption charges including "violation of legislative and regulatory provisions, embezzlement, waste of public funds and illegal use of public and private funds for the benefit of third parties".
In addition, he is accused of "benefiting from the authority and influence of agency agents to increase prices, and unjustifiably benefiting from tax and tariff exemptions and reductions".
