Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Former Tunisian President, Sentenced To 35 Years In Jail For Theft, Unlawful Cash And Jewelry Possession

Tunisia's Ex-President Sentenced To 35 Years In Jail

TUNIS, June 20 (Reuters) - A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced ousted president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife, in absentia, to 35 years in jail each after finding them guilty of theft and unlawful possession of cash and jewellery.

Reading out the verdict and sentence in the courtroom after just one day of deliberation, the judge also ruled Ben Ali and his wife would have to pay fines totalling 91 million Tunisian dinars ($65.6 million).

The judge said the verdict on other charges, relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons, would be pronounced on June 30, according to a Reuters reporter who was in the courtroom. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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