CAIRO: A challenge against the acquittal of Mubarak era’s Minister of Housing Ahmed el-Maghrabi over charges of embezzlement was rejected by the Court of Cassation Saturday.
The acquittal was challenged by the Attorney General. Based on Saturday’s ruling, the acquittal is upheld.
Maghrabi and another businessman faced charges of profiteering when the former Minister had allocated a piece of land in New Cairo city to the Arab Group for Mortgage Investment for establish a housing project , embezzling 25 million EGP ( around $3.2 million) of public fund, according to investigations.
In May 2013, a Cairo criminal court has retried the defendants and acquitted Maghrabi while the case was dropped against the businessman following reconciliation with the government.
The acquittal was challenged by the Attorney General.
In late May 2011, Maghrabi was sentenced to five years in prison while the businessman received a sentence of one year in jail with the suspension of carrying out the ruling. They were also fined more than 144 million EGP ($18,8 million).