Tunisia's Ex-President and His Wife Sentenced to 35 Years

A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife, in absentia, to 35 years in jail each after finding them guilty of theft and unlawful possession of cash and jewellery.

Ben Ali and his wife would have to pay fines totalling 91 million Tunisian dinars (£40.6 million).

The judge said the verdict on other charges, relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons, would be pronounced on June 30.

Ben Ali, who is in exile in Saudi Arabia, is being tried in absentia at the Tunis criminal court.

The court is hearing two embezzlement, money laundering and drug trafficking cases against the 74-year-old. It follows the discovery of around $27 million in jewels and cash plus drugs and weapons at two palaces outside Tunis after he flew to Saudi Arabia on Jan 14.

Saudi Arabia did not respond to an extradition request, and some Tunisians expressed frustration that he would not be present for his judgment.

Ben Ali vigorously denied the charges in a statement through his French lawyer, calling the proceedings a “shameful masquerade of the justice of the victorious.”

Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi are both charged in one of the two cases before the court Monday - the discovery of about $27 million in jewels and foreign and Tunisian currency at a palace in a village north of Tunis.

The second case targeting only Ben Ali surrounds the seizure of arms and drugs in the official presidential palace in Carthage. He faces charges of possessing and trafficking drugs, detention of arms and munitions and failing to declare archaeological works also found at the palace.

Ben Ali's French lawyer released a statement from his client about the trial and his departure for Saudi Arabia. It marks the first public words from Ben Ali since he left the North African country on Jan. 14 after a monthlong uprising that led to street protests in Arab countries.

Since he flew to Saudi Arabia, judicial officials in Tunisia's interim government have been investigating Ben Ali's 23 years in power.

More serious charges, including plotting against the security of the state and murder, will be dealt with at future trials. Judicial authorities say that Ben Ali and his entourage are implicated in 93 civil cases and 182 others that fall under military jurisdiction. Many of the cases could be joined, reducing the number.

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