Tunisian Court Confirms Corruption Verdicts, Modifies Sentences
A specialized criminal chamber in Tunisia has confirmed the verdicts in a high-profile corruption case involving several high-ranking officials and businessmen. The court modified some of the sentences, reducing the penalties for some of the defendants.
Defendants and Charges
The court confirmed the convictions of:
- Taïeb Rached, a former president of the Court of Cassation and member of the dissolved Council of the Judiciary, for corruption and administrative corruption.
- Abderrazek Bahouri, a former magistrate, for corruption and administrative corruption.
- Nejib Ismaïl, a businessman, for corruption and administrative corruption.
- Kamel Taboubi, a real estate agent, for corruption and administrative corruption.
- Adel Jenayah, a businessman, for corruption and administrative corruption.
The court also confirmed the convictions of several other defendants, including Marouane Tlili, Fethi Jenayah, and El Wardi Nouisri, who were tried in absentia.
Sentence Modifications
The court modified the sentences for some of the defendants, reducing the penalties for:
- Abderrazek Bahouri, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption and administrative corruption.
- Taïeb Rached and Nejib Ismaïl, who were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for complicity in corruption and administrative corruption.
The court also increased the sentence for El Wardi Nouisri, who was sentenced to 6 years in prison for money laundering.
Background
The case involves allegations of corruption and administrative corruption by several high-ranking officials and businessmen. The investigation began in 2018, when Taïeb Rached, who was then the prosecutor general, intervened in the case of Nejib Ismaïl, allowing him to benefit from a release on bail.
In 2019, Taïeb Rached, who was then the president of the Court of Cassation, created two new chambers of cassation, which issued rulings in favor of the two businessmen, causing significant financial losses to the state.
Previous Verdicts
In October 2025, a first-instance court had handed down verdicts ranging from 4 to 30 years in prison in this case. The court had convicted Taïeb Rached to 30 years in prison and a fine equivalent to the confiscation of his shares in two of his real estate properties. Abderrazek Bahouri and Marouane Tlili were each sentenced to 20 years in prison.
