Tunisia's Ben Ali found guilty in drugs and weapons trial

Ben Ali described his 20th June trial as a 'parody of justice'

Tunisia's former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has been found guilty in a second one-day trial, this time convicted on charges of possessing illegal drugs and weapons.

On 20th June, Ben Ali and his life Leila Trabelsi were sentenced, in absentia, to 35 years in jail for embezzlement and misuse of state funds. 

The second trial, on 4th July, saw the ousted president sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Ben Ali's 23 year-long reign was marred by allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. Ben Ali, his family and those close to him used political power to build huge business empires.

The first trial focussed on the charges of Ben Ali and Trabelsi's misapproapriation of public funds, after large sums of cash and jewellery were discovered in one of their palaces.

In Monday's trial, Ben Ali was accused of harbouring drugs and illegal weapons at his palace in Carthage. He was also accused on drug trafficking.

His lawyer, Hosni Beji, tried to have the trial delayed so he could go to Saudi Arabia, where Ben Ali has been since fleeing Tunisia on 14th January, but his request was denied.

The prosecution listed the items seized in the presidential palace, including weapons, "which do not seem to have been imported legally" and "60 priceless Roman and Punic era archeological pieces”.

The head of the police narcotics squad presented 2kg of seized cannbis resin as well as an envelope on which, according to the judge, was written the word 'drug' in Ben Ali's handwriting.

Beji, who on Friday 1st July called the trial 'irrational', rejected the drug charges, saying Ben Ali “never owned or kept drugs”.

"How can we imagine that a president holding power can have 2 kg of cannabis resin of mediocre quality (with intentions) of selling it?" Beji asked.

On the weapons charges, Beji said the majority of weapons found were personal gifts from international officials. He said Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef Ben Abdel Aziz had given Ben Ali weapons.

Tunisia's interim government requested Ben Ali's extradition from Saudi Arabia in February, but they have yet to receive a response.

Ben Ali and his inner circle face legal proceedings in up to 182 other cases. They are facing charges of torture, money laundering and trafficking of archeological artefacts.

Sources: AFP, BBC News, Oman Daily Observer

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