TUNISIA: Convictions of Former Syphax Airlines Boss, ex-Transport Minister Upheld

TUNIS, Tunisia

• The specialised criminal chamber for financial corruption cases at the Tunis Court of Appeal has confirmed the first-instance prison sentences against Mohamed Frikha, Abdelkarim Harouni and two former officials of the public petroleum company Société nationale de distribution des pétroles (SNDP-Agil).
• Frikha, founder and director general of Syphax Airlines, remains sentenced to seven years in prison plus financial fines. Harouni, former transport minister and Ennahdha official, remains sentenced to two years in prison plus fines. The two former SNDP-Agil executives, Moncef Matoussi and Habib Mallouh, remain sentenced to six years each plus fines.
• The original first-instance judgment was issued on 3 February 2026 by the specialised criminal chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance. The public prosecutor had appealed the sentence against Harouni.
• The case concerns alleged financial and administrative corruption linked to kerosene supplies provided by SNDP-Agil to Syphax Airlines. Prosecutors alleged the supplies were granted without following legal and contractual procedures while the airline faced severe financial difficulties, causing loss to the public company. The defendants were charged under Article 96 of the Tunisian Penal Code (abuse of function by a public official to procure an undue advantage).
• Syphax Airlines has consistently denied receiving free or improperly guaranteed kerosene. It has stated that a substantial portion of its debt to SNDP-Agil was paid and that the remainder was rescheduled under a court-approved rescue plan.
• Harouni was released on 23 October 2026 after completing the two-year sentence. He had been detained since September 2023.

Sources:

• Mosaique FM
• Business News (first-instance judgment)
• News Tunisia
• L’Économiste Maghrébin
• African Manager