Tunisia has reportedly detained ex-minister Abderrahim Zouari and businessman Marouane Mabrouk, the son-in-law of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, over allegations of corruption, according to media sources on Wednesday.
Both individuals were reportedly remanded in pre-trial detention for an initial period of five days, which can be extended, as stated by Mohamed Zitouna, a spokesperson for the Tunis court of first instance.
Both were apprehended on corruption allegations as part of a nationwide probe into illicitly acquired assets during the rule of Ben Ali, who was deposed during the 2011 Tunisian revolution and passed away in 2019.
According to Zitouna, Zouari, who served as the Transport Minister from 2004 to 2011, is under suspicion for exploiting his official position for personal enrichment.
After the ousting of Ben Ali in 2011, the government confiscated several businesses, including those owned by Mabrouk.
However, numerous executives and owners retained their positions within their companies, with the government serving as a shareholder and overseer.
Mabrouk leads several major franchises in Tunisia, which encompass retail giant Monoprix, telecommunications company Orange Tunisie, and the Arab International Bank of Tunisia.
In 2022, Tunisia’s President Kais Saied launched an initiative in which individuals accused of specific economic offenses could opt to pay substantial fines instead of undergoing legal prosecution. This measure aimed to generate state revenue and alleviate the national debt.
