Egypt's Prosecutor General Summons Mubarak over Financial Crimes

Egypt's Prosecutor General Summons Mubarak over Financial Crimes

Egypt's Prosecutor General has summoned ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons to face charges over financial corruption and involvement in the killing of protesters during the January revolution.

The decision followed Mubarak's first media appearance since he was forced to step down on February 14, in which he claimed his wealth and that of his sons were legally acquired.

In the audio message to an Arab satellite channel on Sunday, Mubarak said that all his assets were inside Egypt and then challenged the Egyptian authorities to trace and expose any assets he allegedly stashed abroad.

Mubarak made no mention of the revolution that toppled him or his alleged role in the killing of hundreds of protesters.

course of Justice

Commenting on Mubarak's speech, Prosecutor General, Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud, said that the ousted President's words would not affect the course of justice.

Egypt's Interior Minister, Mansour Al-Essawy, on Monday said his forces were ready to secure Mubarak's possible court appearance in the capital, Cairo.

The ousted President is currently under house arrest, along with members of his family, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Shaikh.

Getting Mubarak to trial has been one of the major demands of the Egyptian revolution, with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in charge of the country's affairs in this transitional period, assuring that no one will escape justice.

Call for justice

Hundreds of protesters are still conducting a sit-in at Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, saying they would not leave the epi-centre of the revolution until Mubarak is brought to justice.

In the biggest of such protests since Feb. 18, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians held a mock trial for Mubarak and his former Interior Minister at the square last Friday.

Arrests and trials

In the meantime, authorities arrested former Egyptian Premier Ahmad Nazif on Sunday, and he is being detained pending investigations on financial corruption charges.

Former Oil Minister Sameh Fahmy was also detained late on Sunday for the same reason.

Nazif and Fahmy join a growing list of former officials currently on trial for financial corruption charges in Egypt. Others include two former Premiers, a couple of former housing and agriculture and land reclamation ministers as well as former ministers of tourism, trade and industry, investment, finance, information, and culture.

The list also includes the former head of the Presidential Bureau, Zakaria Azmy, and a host of former top officials of the embattled national democratic party of the ousted President.

PANA/Williams/Ekata