Mubarak-era Interior Minister Habib al-Adly acquitted of corruption charges in last case against him
Mada Masr | March 19, 2015
Giza Criminal Court acquitted former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly of corruption and squandering public funds worth LE181 million, the state-owned EgyNews website reported on Thursday.
The court also annulled a decision to freeze his personal assets and those of his family.
The Illicit Gains Authority referred Adly to court in 2011, after investigations showed that he had accumulated wealth that was over and above his income. The authority alleged Adly had acquired state-owned lands in 6 October City, despite legal restrictions on the possession of such land by public officials. He used his position to accumulate illicit gains worth over LE6.5 million, the authority claimed.
Investigations also showed that Adly bought four properties for his sons and daughters in violation of the law.
He was previously cleared of similar corruption charges in the “license plates” case, in which Adly and former prime minister Ahmed Nazif were accused of squandering public funds worth LE97 million.
He was also accused of killing January 25 revolution protesters, along with former President Hosni Mubarak and other security aides, but these charges were also dropped. The verdict drew widespread condemnation both locally and internationally, and was hailed as a strong return of Mubarak-era regime officials to public life.
Adly was convicted and sentenced to three years for using central security officers as forced labor on land he owned in 6 October City.
Security sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Adly would probably be released from prison, as the period he has already served pending investigations in various cases is equal to the sentence he was given in the “forced labor” case.
If this happens, Adly will be the last Mubarak-era official to be released from prison for corruption charges.
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