Egypt

Ex-ministers of housing, tourism to answer profiteering charges next week

The Cairo Court of Appeals is scheduled to hold the first session in the trial of former housing minister Ahmed al-Maghrabi and former tourism minister Zuheir Garrana on 6 March.
 
The two men will face charges of profiteering and the illicit acquisition of public funds.
 
Al-Maghrabi is accused of selling 113 acres of state-owned land in 6 October City to the Akhbar Al-Youm Investment Company at deflated prices.
 
In turn, Akhbar Al-Youm Investment sold the land to Palm Hills Urban Development, a company in which Al-Maghrabi is a partner. The move allegedly earned al-Maghrabi some LE159 million, while costing the public purse more than LE272 million.
 
Garrana, meanwhile, stands accused of providing his personal acquaintances with licenses to operate travel agencies, regardless of their qualifications.

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