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A Tunisian court has sentenced ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife to 35 years in prison each for theft and other charges. The couple, who left Tunisia for Saudi Arabia in the midst of a popular uprising in January, were being tried in absentia. The court also ordered them to pay a $66m (�41m) fine. The trial was looking at accusations of theft, corruption and drug smuggling, which the former president had denied. The presiding judge also said that a verdict on other charges - relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons - would be announced on 30 June. In a statement issued as his trial began earlier on Monday, Ben Ali said he had taken his family to Saudi Arabia for safety. He said he had intended to return to Tunisia immediately, but the plane left without him, "disobeying my instructions".