Politics

Tunisia-Former PM Fakhfakh referred to Indictment Chamber

Nessma TV co-founder Ghazi Karoui(C) speaks on the phone as Tunisian authorities shut down his channel on April 25, 2019 in Rades, southeast the capital Tunis. - The Tunisian audio-visual authority (Haica) seized today the equipment of one of the country's leading private television stations, Nessma TV, that is broadcasting without license, despite protests by journalists outside the channel's headquarters. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP) (Photo by FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

Former premier Elyes Fakhfakh was referred to the Indictment Chamber in the case brought against him in the Judicial Financial and Economic Division over “unlawful enrichment, submission of false statements and failure to assign others to manage assets within legal deadlines,” the information office at the Tunis court of first instance said on Monday.

The division decided on October 9, 2020, to initiate a judicial investigation into three cases of suspected conflict of interest involving the former prime minister.

False declaration of assets, illicit enrichment and failure to assign others to manage assets within legal deadlines pursuant to the law n° 2018-46 of August 1, 2018, are the charges brought against Elyes Fakhfakh in the first case.

The second case involves the former prime minister and nine others in relation to a benefit received or damage caused to public authorities (Article 96 of the criminal code), accepting donations and benefits to give undue advantage to others (Article 87bis of the criminal code) or taking up a remunerated activity without authorisation.

In the third case, thirteen defendants, including Fakhfakh, face the same charges set out previously.

The National Anti-Corruption Authority unveiled suspected conflict of interest as the company in which the former prime minister owns shares won deals from the state.

(TAP)