Former Minister convicted on graft charges

A Tunis court has sentenced former Defence Minister Ridha Grira to six years' imprisonment for corruption. Judicial spokesperson Sofiene Sliti said the 61-year-old ‘fugitive’ was also ordered to pay a fine of $164 000. A report on the News24 site notes that Grira was jailed in September 2011 for his role in corruption cases linked to the Ben Ali regime which was overthrown in a popular uprising that year. However, a court ordered his release the following year as he was suffering from cancer.