Designation and legal nature.

The Central Anti- Corruption Office (C.A.C.O) was established under article 24 bis of Law no 06-01, related to prevention and fight against corruption, amended and supplemented.

The Office is an operational central service of the Judicial Police, charged with searching, investigating and examining crimes in the framework of the fight against corruption.

The Office is under the authority of minister of justice, keeper of the seals, and is autonomous in management and action. Its headquarters is located in Algiers.

Composition of the office.

The Central Anti- Corruption Office (C.A.C.O) is composed of:

- Judicial police officers from ministry of defense and ministry of interior,

- Public officials with proven anti-corruption skills.

- Administrative and technical staff.

The Office can seek the assistance of every expert, advisory office, and / or institution with proven competencies in the field of anti-corruption.

Organizational chart.

Modalities of operation.

The Office's judicial police officers exercise their missions in accordance with the criminal procedures law and the anti-corruption law no. 06-01, amended and supplemented.

The C.A.C.O judicial police officers are allowed to use all legal means to recovery any information necessary to accomplish their duties.

Their local jurisdiction competence over corruption and related offences extends throughout the national territory.

Missions of the Office.

The office is in charge of the following missions:

- Collecting, centralizing and exploiting any information that may allow to detect and fight corruption.

- Reach evidence and proceed to investigation on suspected cases of corruption and related crimes under the prosecution’s supervision.

-  Develop cooperation and support with anti-corruption bodies and exchange information on the occasion of ongoing investigations;

- Propose any measure that would preserve the proper conduct of investigations by the competent authorities.

Biography of The Director General.

Mr Mokhtar LAKHDARI

Born on March 11, 1965 in Algiers

Graduate of the National School of Administration - Judicial Branch (1986)

Holds a master's degree in criminal law and criminal sciences (University of Algiers - 2004)

Attending a Doctorate thesis on the topic of transitional justice

During his career, he assumed the following responsibilities:

• Judge in secondment at the Ministry of Justice - Office for the Follow-up of Public Prosecution (1986-1988)
• Performed the duty of national service : Officers Training School in Blida - Legal department at the Ministry of National Defense (1988-1990)
• In charge of the international mutual legal assistance in criminal matters – ministry of justice (1990-1991)
• Investigation Judge (1992-1994)
• Deputy-Director in charge of Criminal affairs (1994-2005)
• Director of Criminal Affairs and pardons (2005-2015)
• Director General of Judiciary and Legal Affairs a.i. (2015-2017)
• judge at the Supreme Court (2018-2019)

His anti-corruption activities:

• Since 2000 he participated in preparing the most important legal texts related to the reform of the criminal justice and chaired the committee that worked on preparing the law related to preventing and combating corruption.
• Member of the open-ended government working group in charge of elaborating the rules of procedure for the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
• Participated in the negotiations related to the « terms of references » of the review mechanism of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
• Member of the working group in charge of preparing the Arab Convention against Corruption.
• Participated as government expert in the review of Switzerland (2012) and Egypt (2014) as part of the review mechanism of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
• Coordinator of the permanent unit in charge of preparing the Algeria report within the framework of the review mechanism of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (2010-2017).
• Participated regularly to the Conference of States parties in the United Nation Convention against Corruption and the working groups session on implementation review and asset recovery
• Member of the joint ministerial working group in charge of preparing the legal framework for establishing the Central Anti- Corruption Office (OCRC)
• Participated in framing and activating several training courses related to combating economic and financial crime in the High School for the Judiciary and the High School for Banking.
• He supervised the organization of the International Symposium to celebrate the International Day Against Corruption (2011) and several activities on preventing corruption.
• Participated and headed Algerian delegation in the negotiations related to international mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition with the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, the Russian Federation, Switzerland, Portugal, Nigeria, Iraq, ....
• Headed the Algerian delegation during the on-site visit of the Financial Action Task Force (ICRG) to assess Algeria's efforts in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.

The literature:

• Journalism and the Judiciary (Dar Houma Publications - 2011)
• Several lectures and studies on combating cyber crime, drug trafficking and criminal justice.