El Khalifa Bank case : Trial in court of appeal set for April 2

"The invitations were sent to all parties involved in the trial," the source said.

The Supreme Court decided to accept, on January 19 last year, the appeal submitted by the defence and the prosecution in this case. Fifty-four appeals in cassation brought by the Crown and twenty-four others introduced by the defense, a total of 78 appeals in cassation, were accepted by this instance.

The criminal court at the Court of Blida ruled the case at first instance in March 2007. 94 defendants were then present in the dock. Ten were abroad including the main accused, Abdelmoumen Khalifa.

The defendants were tried under the charges of "conspiracy, robbery, fraud, breach of trust and falsification of official documents."

Sentences of up to life imprisonment had been imposed on the main defendants, including the head of Group Khalifa ,Abdelmoumène Rafik Khelifa.

Justice had been asked for this case after the Bank of Algeria in 2003 had found a hole of 3.2 billion dinars in the main accounts of the El Khalifa Bank.