By AFP More by this AuthorAlgiers,A former Algerian cabinet minister detained in a corruption case has died from the Covid-19 illness, a news website reported on Saturday, quoting his brother. Ex-telecom minister Moussa Benhamadi, once close to ex-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, contracted the novel coronavirus earlier this month and died on Friday, said his brother Hocine Benhamadi. Moussa had been held in pre-trial detention at El Harrach prison since September 2019 as part of an investigation into corruption involving the Algerian high-tech firm Condor Electronics. Bouteflika's powerful brother Said and two former intelligence chiefs have been jailed, as have powerful businessmen and former government ministers. Moussa's brother and head of Condor Electronics Abderahmane Benhamadi is also detained in a corruption case.

Source: Daily Nation July 18, 2020 10:47 UTC