Runaway Algerian billionaire Khalifa to appear before British court in March

Runaway Algerian billionaire Khalifa to appear before British court in March

Ech-Chorouk, 08 March, 2008 11:41:00 By: L. Charfaoui // Translated by: MED. B.

Runaway billionaire Abdelmoumène Khalifa has been summoned to appear before a London court which is to decide Monday on an extradition request put forth against him by Algeria after years of dilatory judicial wrangling.
Abdelmoumène Khalifa, who fled to Britain after the unveiling of the so-called Khalifa bank scandal, is the object of a long-running extradition request issued by the Algerian justice via Interpol.
Abdelmoumène Khalifa was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment in March 2007 by the criminal court of Blida on several charges including embezzlement of public funds, financial malpractice, theft, abuse of trust and money laundering, among other serious offences.
In case the British justice gives the green light to Khalifa’s extradition to Algeria , the latter will only have 10 days to appeal against the verdict.
All in all, the legal proceedings surrounding the case are expected to be wrapped up within a 40 day period.