Ex-Bouteflika allies sentenced

Algiers: An Algerian court on Wednesday handed heavy prison sentences to several former allies of ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika for corruption, a defence lawyer said.

Prominent tycoon Ali Haddad was handed an 18-year jail term while former prime ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, already behind bars over other graft cases, were sentenced to 12 years each. Eight other former ministers were handed sentences of between two and 20 years. Haddad’s brothers -- Omar, Meziane, Sofiane and Mohamed -- were condemned to four years in prison, while the court ordered the seizure of family assets.