The former star striker of the Algerian football team and FC Porto and former national coach, Rabah Madjer, was sentenced Thursday in Algiers to six months in prison, confirmed the former player, who added that he was going to appeal.
“All I can tell you is that I had nothing to do with this case. Neither near nor far. I am innocent “, he said, adding that he would appeal his conviction through his lawyer.
Rabah Madjer, 63, was sentenced by an Algiers court for “misrepresentation” accountants, as well as a co-accused, presented under the identity of Brahim M. by the Algerian press.
At the beginning of June, the prosecutor had requested 18 months in prison against the former footballer.
Other lawsuits filed for ” forgery and use of forgery “ and ” scam “ have been abandoned.
The two co-defendants will also have to pay a fine of 500,000 dinars (3,200 euros) to the plaintiff, the National Publishing and Advertising Agency (ANEP).
Rabah Madjer, who owned two newspapers, Al Balagh and Al Balagh Erriadhi, reportedly continued to cash ANEP publicity checks a year after the two publications closed.
The former star refuted these accusations: “On November 3, 2019, I officially left Al Balagh newspaper with official documents from the notary which prove that I have nothing to do with this story”he told AFP.
Madjer is known worldwide for his goal scored on a backheel in the European Cup final of champion clubs with FC Porto against Bayern Munich in 1987 (won 2-1 by the Portuguese club). He gave his name to this technical gesture.
He was also the coach of the Fennecs, the Algerian national team, for eight months before being sacked at the end of June 2018 after a series of poor results.
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