Egypt’s Administrative Control Authority (ACA) has unearthed more documents implicating former housing minister Ibrahim Soliman in alleged excesses during his term. The documents were reportedly found in the ministry’s 6th October City premises and in the office of a legal advisor that worked for the ministry.
The documents reveal that Soliman had sold land belonging to the ministry to three unknown individuals for LE200,000, later buying it back for himself at the same amount–even though the real value of the land had been estimated at LE2 million.
Security sources believe Soliman did this in order to circumvent regulations forbidding him to buy state-owned land while serving as minister.
The ACA intends to refer the documents to the Public Funds Prosecution, which will include them as part of an ongoing investigation into Soliman. The investigation first opened after independent MP Alaa Abdel Moneim and 46 others formally accused Soliman of profiteering from his official position.
"Prosecutors investigated these allegations before and found them to be baseless," said Soliman’s lawyer, Gamil Said. "But my client still intends to give his testimony today in order to prove his innocence."
In a related development, the State Council delayed its verdict until 20 January on whether Soliman violated the constitution by acting as president of an oil company while he was also a member of parliament.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
