El-Hodh News Agency
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
In a new development in Algeria’s anti-corruption campaign, the Algiers court today sentenced two former ministers, including former government spokesman and Minister of Communication Hamid Grine and former Minister of Communication Jamal Kaouane, after finding them guilty of embezzling public funds and granting unlawful advantages in what is known as the National Publishing and Advertising Agency (ANEP – second case).
According to the investigation, this case revealed a wide network of corruption within the distribution of public advertising funds. Large sums were reportedly allocated to fake or minor media outlets through inflated invoices, causing significant losses to the state treasury. The court sentenced Jamal Kaouane to eight years in prison and Hamid Grine to four years, while other ANEP officials received varying prison sentences.
A Nationwide War on Corruption
These convictions are part of a broad national campaign led by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to combat corruption and recover stolen state assets. The President announced earlier that Algeria is working to recover more than 30 billion US dollars in embezzled public funds from past years. He confirmed that investigations are ongoing both domestically and abroad, emphasizing Algeria’s cooperation with several Western nations to trace and repatriate the stolen assets through judicial and diplomatic channels.
International Cooperation and Asset Recovery
Algerian authorities are currently tracking assets purchased abroad with stolen public money, including a five-star hotel in Spain reportedly bought by an Algerian businessman implicated in corruption. Spanish authorities have recently handed the property over as part of a cooperative effort with Algeria. This move marks a major shift in Europe’s handling of transnational corruption cases and reflects Algeria’s growing determination to reclaim its public wealth wherever it may be hidden.
A New Era of Accountability
These developments highlight the beginning of a new era of accountability in Algeria, where high office no longer guarantees immunity. The conviction of two former ministers, including a government spokesman, sends a strong signal that the Algerian judiciary is committed to pursuing corruption even within the upper echelons of power.
As further investigations continue into funds allegedly used to purchase foreign companies and properties, Algerian citizens follow the developments with a mix of hope and caution—wondering whether this campaign will truly mark the end of “political money,” or merely open another chapter in the country’s long struggle against corruption.
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