Tunisian Court Delays Verdict in High-Profile Corruption Case
The specialized criminal chamber for financial corruption cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance decided today, Thursday, to postpone the verdict in the case involving former Transport Minister Abdelkarim Harouni, businessman Mohamed Friikha, two executives from a national oil company, and two other defendants, after the hearing, in order to examine the requests for release and set a later date for the trial.
Previously, the Indictment Chamber specializing in financial corruption cases at the Tunis Court of Appeal had decided to refer Abdelkarim Harouni and Mohamed Friikha, as well as two former executives of the national oil company, to the criminal chamber for financial corruption cases to be tried for accusations and crimes of a financial nature, related to commercial transactions between a company owned by Mohamed Friikha and the national oil company.
The defendants were charged under Article 96 of the Penal Code, which relates to the exploitation by a public official of their position to obtain an undue advantage for themselves or others, causing harm to the administration and violating existing regulations.
