Aggravated sentence on appeal in a case of embezzlement in Bechar

ALGIERS - The criminal chamber in Bechar (south-western Algeria) has aggravated Monday in appeal the sentences against three senior executives of the water sector in the province, prosecuted for embezzlement of public funds, reported the agency APS.

•    The court sentenced to ten years in prison the former head of the hydraulics of the province, his assistant and an engineer responsible for monitoring projects, against eight in the first instance. 
  
     Eighteen contractors also involved in this case have been sentenced to 18 months suspended sentence and one was acquitted. 
  
     The case concerned the conditions of implementation and financing of projects which had cost millions of Euros, sometimes in vain, noted the press during the trial. 
  
     Thirty defendants - sector managers of water resources, members of the Committee on Government Procurement of the province, private contractors - have again appeared at the trial on appeal five months after the trial proceedings. 
  
     They were accused of "violation of the provisions of the Code of public contracts, misuse of public funds, abuse of power, forgery and use of forgery, embezzlement and misuse of function, the agency said.
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.