Tunisia party leader fined US$6.5m

Head of the Heart of Tunisia party and media mogul Nabil Karoui has been fined 19.3 million dinars on charges pertaining to tax evasion and money laundering.

JOHANNESBURG, April 16 (ANA) – Head of the Heart of Tunisia party and media mogul Nabil Karoui has been fined 19.3 million dinars (about US$6.5 million), according to the Middle East Monitor.

The publication reported on Wednesday that the ruling issued by the Court of First Instance in the capital city Tunis pertained to tax evasion and money-laundering charges.

Citing local media in the North African country, Middle East Monitor also reported that sources said that Karoui would be released after paying the fine.

It was also revealed that in August 2019, Karoui was arrested by the local authorities for financial corruption a month before running for the presidential election.

He came in second in the first round of Tunisia’s presidential election in September 2019 despite being in jail at the time.

In December 2020, AFP reported that Karoui founded the Qalb Tounes (Heart of Tunisia) party, which came second in 2019’s legislative elections and now holds 30 of the chamber’s 217 seats after a string of resignations.

It is an ally of the Islamic-inspired Ennahdha party, which holds the most seats.

Karoui also founded Tunisia’s main private channel, Nessma TV, and presented himself as a candidate for the poor in the election.

He tried to fix his reputation in recent years with a charity show on Nessma TV in which he distributed household appliances to needy families.

Other politicians have often accused Karoui of corruption, and several proceedings have been opened against him and Nessma TV, which broadcasts without a licence.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher