Former Mubarak aide jailed for corruption

On Sunday 27 May, a criminal court convicted one of former president Hosni Mubarak's aides of corruption, fining Zakaria Azmi £3.8million and sentencing him to seven years in prison.

Azmi was Mubarak's chief of staff. Mubarak, who spent 29 years in power, was rarely seen in public without him. Azmi was also a lawmaker and a senior member of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP).

Azmi, who is in his 70s, reportedly supported Mubarak's wish to eventually hand over-power to his youngest son Gamal.

According to Egypt's Middle East News Agency, the Cairo court established that Azmi used his position to make illicit gains of $7 million. Azmi was jailed last year and put on trial in October, charged with illegal acquisition of funds.

He is one of many former Mubarak cronies detained on suspicion of corruption, some of whom have been sentence while others await trial. The group includes two former prime ministers, the former speaker of parliament, several wealthy businessmen and cabinet ministers closely linked to Gamal.

The verdict against Azmi came less than a week before a court was due to issue its verdict in the trial of Mubarak, who faced charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the popular uprising that toppled his regime last year. Mubarak, along with Gamal and his other son, Alaa, also faced corruption charges.

If convicted the former long-term leader could face the death penalty.

Sources: BBC News, Aljazeera, CTV

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Mubarak's sons have £215 million stashed away in Swiss banks

Hosni Mubarak's two sons, Gamal and Alaa, reportedly have £215 million stashed away in Swiss bank accounts. Egypt's deputy justice minister and head of the Illicit Gains Authority Assem al-Gohari said most of the funds, which are now frozen, belonged to Mubarak's elder son Alaa.

Both of Mubarak's sons are standing trial on corruption charges and complicity in the killing of protesters. Mubarak himself is charged with ordering the army to shoot at protesters, who were calling for his resignation throughout January and February. The uprising was in part fuelled by the public's anger over the Mubarak family illegally amassing vast amounts of wealth.

Speaking about the situation, Gohari said the Swiss authorities were investigating whether Alaa was involved in money laundering. Switzerland has already frozen the assets of the Mubarak family and other former Egyptian government figures.

Sources: Reuters, BBC News, Bloomberg

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Egypt: Two high-ranking officials charged with corruption

Egypt's former information minister Anas al-Fekky has been sentence to seven years in prison for misappropriation of public funds. The court sentenced al-Fekky on charges of deliberately misusing funds from state run radio and television union.

The former head of state TV, Osama el-Sheikh, was also sentence to five years on the same charges. The two officials, the latest to be sentenced, were found guilty of paying inflated prices for television soap operas.

Al-Fekky was a member of cabinet under former president Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted in February after months of popular protests calling for his departure. Earlier this month, al-Fekky was cleared of separate corruption charges.

The uprising in Egypt was inspired by the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia. The unrest was further fuelled by the nation's disgruntlement about lack of political and social freedoms, poverty, dearth of employment opportunities and institutional corruption. The latter will be a test for the interim Egyptian authority, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

Along with his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, Mubarak is being charged with "premeditated murder" of protesters during the height of the unrest. The former president, who is thought to be unwell, denies the charges. If found guilty, however, he could face the death penalty. Mubarak and his family is also being questioned over charges of illegally profiting during his three decade reign.

Sources: BCC News, Reuters, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.