[ 2011-07-05 ]

Egypt: Mubarak ministers 'not guilty' of corruption
An Egyptian court has acquitted three ministers
from the toppled regime of Hosni Mubarak of
squandering public funds.

It was the first not-guilty verdicts issued in a
series of trials of former senior officials
following the fall of Mr Mubarak in February.

The ministers include former Finance Minister
Youssef Boutros Ghali.

He fled the country in February, and has since
been found guilty and sentenced in absentia on
other charges.

Anger at government corruption helped fuel the
mass protests that overthrew Mr Mubarak, and these
trials are being seen as a test of the resolve of
the military council that is ruling in his stead.

Former Information Minister Anas al-Fikki was
cleared along with Mr Boutros Ghali.

In a separate ruling, former Housing Minister
Ahmed Maghrabi was also acquitted. He has also
already been sentenced to a prison term on other
charges.

Former Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid, who
has also fled, was found guilty on Tuesday of
squandering public funds.

He was sentenced in absentia to five years in
prison - adding to a five-year term he received in
June for embezzling public funds.

Source - BBC

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