Former Algerian minister sentenced to 7 years in prison

Former housing minister Abdelwahid Temmar was sentenced to seven years in prison for money laundering on June 15th. Temmar is also obligated to pay 100,000 dinars, equivalent to 750 USD, to the treasury department, as an acknowledgement of the harm done to the state. 

According to the government-friendly Algerie360, the verdict was delivered this morning by the economic and financial crimes division of Sidi M’hamed, a district in Algiers province. The ruling is final, with no right of appeal

Temmar has been convicted of multiple felonies. Money laundering, as well as taking advantage of public functions and advantages to facilitate organised crime. His sentence was declared within the framework of prevention and the fight against corruption.

This is not the first time Temmar has been convicted. He was sentenced to three years in prison for giving out legal authorisations for summer camps in protected forests, while also committing other misuses of office and abuse of power. He was further accused of a false declaration of assets and property.

This trial comes nearly exactly towards the end of his previous sentence, and the accusations were brought to light by specific elements that raised suspicion.

The investigation would have started with a parental authorisation signed by Temmar to allow his underage son to go to Spain while presumptions of properties and funds in Spain were gaining traction. During his questioning, Temmar denied all illegal or undeclared assets. 

The prosecutor’s office had required 10 years in prison, an 8 million dinar fine (approximately 60 000 USD), and the confiscation of all estate and assets. The judge effectively asked for less while still ensuring a severe sentence. 

Sidi M’hamed is increasingly becoming synonymous with Algeria’s anti-corruption crackdown. Former participation minister Abdelhamid Temmar is currently being prosecuted for a controversial privatisation of assets worth multiple billions of dinars.

He has fled the country while currently being subject to an international arrest warrant.

In December 2025, the same jurisdiction sentenced the people involved in the Imetal scandal, which involved the public group of metallurgical industries, to 15 years in prison.

These successive sentences show a clear motivation for the Sidi M’hamed court to not only tackle corruption from politicians, but also public groups and financial offences.

Algerie360, Maghrebi.org