Judge Hesham Barakat was sworn in on Wednesday as new Prosecutor General, replacing Abdel Meguid Mahmoud who resigned despite a court ruling that reinstated him to the post.
Barakat, who recited the oath of office in the presence of interim president Adly Mansour, had served as head of the technical office at the Cairo Appeals Court. He had previously occupied a similar post at the Ismailia Appeals Court.
Mansour selected Barakat after consulting with the Supreme Judicial Council.
On Tuesday, the council approved Mahmoud's request to return to his post at the Cairo Appeals Court. The court's general secretary, Mohamed Saeed Mahgoub, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that, given the suspension of Egypt's constitution, the interim president was entitled to select a general prosecutor.
Mahgoub cited Article 119 of the judicial authority law, which says that the president can issue a decree selecting a general prosecutor from among deputy presidents of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the presidents of the Cairo Appeals Court, and assistant general prosecutors.
On 2 July, Egypt's Court of Cassation upheld a previous ruling ordering the reinstatement of former Prosecutor General Abdel Maguid Mahmoud to his post.
In November 2012, ousted President Mohamed Morsy had issued a Constitutional Declaration naming Talaat Abdallah the new prosecutor general.
Edited translation from MENA
