The spokesperson for the primary court in Bizerte, northern Tunisia, confirmed that the investigating judge issued a detention order for a former Industry Minister involved in a corruption case at the steel plant in Menzel Bourguiba, Bizerte.
The public prosecutor’s office at the primary court in Bizerte has been investigating since November 2023 the suspicion of financial and administrative corruption committed at the Menzel Bourguiba steel plant, which caused damage to the public institution.
On February 8, the public prosecutor authorized the central brigade of the national guard in Aouina to detain the former Industry Minister for “exploiting a public official’s position to obtain a benefit or harm the administration and to continue the investigation with him and anyone else the investigation may reveal.
In Tunisia, the anti-corruption campaign has been a significant focus, especially under President Kais Saied’s administration. One of the notable cases involves Marouan Mabrouk, a prominent business figure and son-in-law of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Mabrouk was arrested on suspicion of embezzling funds from state companies. His business interests span across various sectors, including trade, banking, communications, and supermarkets. This arrest is part of President Saied’s broader initiative to combat financial corruption and recover money owed to the state to alleviate Tunisia’s budget deficit.
President Saied’s anti-corruption efforts have been ambitious but have faced criticism for a slow start. After taking control of the government by invoking Article 80 of the Tunisian constitution, Saied promised to overhaul the political system and tackle corruption. However, the actual progress has been less dramatic, with only a few investigations into political figures and parties being announced. This has led to skepticism about the effectiveness and scope of the anti-corruption campaign.
