Unprecedented Condemnation of Taïeb Rached: A Major Turning Point for Tunisian Justice
The unprecedented condemnation of Taïeb Rached, former President of the Court of Cassation, marks a major turning point for Tunisian justice. Through his downfall, an entire network of influence mixing magistrates and businessmen has collapsed, revealing the underside of a system where justice was sold at the highest level. This judgment will remain one of the most notable in the country's judicial history.
A Historic Verdict
On the night of October 27-28, 2025, the specialized criminal chamber for financial corruption cases at the Court of First Instance in Tunis sentenced Taïeb Rached to 30 years in prison, along with a fine of 4.8 million dinars and 935 million dinars in damages and interest to be paid to the Tunisian state. Never before has a magistrate of such high rank been found guilty and sanctioned so severely.
A Decisive Turning Point
This verdict marks a decisive turning point, as it is the first time that the Tunisian justice system has held one of its highest representatives accountable for systemic corruption. Around Taïeb Rached, a veritable parallel system has collapsed, revealing the extent of a corruption network mixing magistrates and businessmen. These individuals profited for years from a traffic of influence at the highest level, where judicial decisions were negotiated in secret against privileges and colossal sums.
Severe Sentences
The sentences pronounced are commensurate with the scandal. Abderrazek Bahouri and Marouane Tellili, two dismissed magistrates, were each sentenced to 20 years in prison. Businessmen Néjib Ismaïl and Fathi Jnayah were sentenced to 27 and 30 years in prison, respectively, along with confiscations exceeding 80 million dinars. In total, the court demanded a record financial compensation of 935 million dinars from the defendants for the benefit of the Tunisian state.
A Symbolic Amount
This unprecedented amount is a symbol of a justice system that wants to strike hard to turn the page on impunity. The case dates back to 2018, when Taïeb Rached, then Prosecutor General at the Court of Appeal in Tunis, allegedly intervened personally to reduce the pre-trial detention of businessman Néjib Ismaïl, leading to his release. In 2019, after becoming President of the Court of Cassation, he created two new chambers (numbers 35 and 36) and appointed his loyal judges Bahouri and Tellili to them. These judges rendered several cassation decisions without referral, purely and simply erasing convictions for customs fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. The losses for the public treasury are estimated at nearly one billion dinars, revealing a Machiavellian mechanism of judicial laundering.
Justice Reclaims Its Place
Taïeb Rached, long considered the guardian of the judicial temple, has become the symbol of its moral collapse. In 2020, during a clumsy television intervention, he admitted to having conducted real estate transactions during his mandate. This moment of arrogance precipitated his downfall. The consequences were dramatic, with suspension, lifting of immunity, and a series of procedures for corruption, abuse of function, money laundering, and forgery in public writing. The man who embodied judicial authority found himself on the defendants' bench.
A Seismic Verdict
The verdict of October 28, 2025, has undoubtedly provoked a genuine earthquake in the world of justice. This condemnation is perceived as a strong signal indicating that the era where magistrates placed themselves above the law seems to be over. It also marks the return of a justice system that wants to reconquer its credibility and restore citizen trust. It illustrates, in particular, the state's willingness to restore the primacy of law. Although the case may be subject to appeal, the message is striking. Tunisian justice is no longer held hostage by the powerful. The downfall of the supreme judge, surrounded by corrupt businessmen and accomplices, is proof of this.
By Samir DRIDI
