Sonelgaz CFO Nouredine Bouterfa and some 15 other managers have been placed under ‘contrôle judiciaire’ meaning that their movements are limited.

Allegations centre on 2007 deals with US firm General Electric and France’s Alstom to build two 1,200mw power stations. Contract prices appear to have been padded to enable the syphoning off of kickbacks, with the official price paid under the contracts above the cost of similar contemporary awards. There has been no suggestion that the foreign firms knew of or condoned such practises. (CONTINUED - 1011 WORDS)