Tunisia’s deposed president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the first leader toppled in a wave of Arab uprisings, went on trial in his absence on Monday, accused of plundering the country among other charges. The former strongman, who denies any wrongdoing, faces charges related to theft, drugs and weapons offences. He could be jailed for up to 20 years if found guilty. Ben Ali meanwhile said in a statement from exile that he was duped into leaving his country and insisted he had not abandoned his post.
As a packed court room — primarily of lawyers who wanted to witness the historic occasion — waited for the trial to begin, a man was evacuated after screaming angry outbursts, an AFP reporter observed. When the trial did open, prosecutors presented their case, an exercise they could have skipped as Ben Ali was absent, court lawyers said. Specifically, Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi are accused of stealing public funds, accusations based on the highly publicised discovery of money and expensive jewellery in their palace in the outskirts of Tunis. Meanwhile several newspapers dubbed the trial as historic on Monday.
