Egypt's ex-president detained for investigation
Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak has been detained for 15 days over corruption allegations, Kazakhstan Today reports.
Almaty. April 13. Kazakhstan Today - Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak has been detained for 15 days over corruption allegations, Kazakhstan Today reports.
Egypt's prosecutor general announced Wednesday the 15-day detention of the country's former president, pending inquiries into accusations of corruption and abuse of authority in an unprecedented investigation of a former ruler in the Arab world, Reuters reported.
The announcement was the latest in a dramatic series of events surrounding the probes against top former Egyptian regime officials, and came just hours after former President Hosni Mubarak, 82, was hospitalized with heart problems in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Since Mubarak's ouster on Feb. 11 on a wave of popular protests, Egyptians have been calling for the investigation of their longtime ruler along with that of many members of his government.
A statement from the prosecutor general's office announcing Mubarak's detention was posted on the social networking site Facebook early Wednesday. It said the ongoing investigation was into was into allegations of corruption, the squandering of public funds, and the abuse of authority for personal gain.
Egyptian prosecutors have also ordered the detention of the former president's powerful sons as their role in violence against protesters and corruption allegations are investigated, The Telegraph reported.
Many of Mr Mubarak's top associates are now being questioned for their activities in the previous regime, but the detention of his sons is by far the most startling development since his Feb. 11 removal from office.
Gamal Mubarak, his younger son, was a top official in the ruling party and was widely seen as being groomed to succeed his father before popular protests brought down the regime.
While the ex-president was in the hospital in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh where he has been living since being removed from power, his sons were taken for questioning to the nearby courthouse by prosecutors from Cairo.
An angry crowd of 2,000 people gathered outside and demanded the two be arrested.
In the early hours of the morning, the head of provincial security in the South Sinai told the crowd that Gamal and his businessman brother Alaa would be detained.
"Brothers, whatever you wanted, you have got ... 15 days," said Maj. Gen. Mohammed el-Khatib, as the crowd erupted in cheers. Egyptian state television later confirmed the order.
As a police van took away the two brothers, the crowd pelted it with water bottles, stones and their flip-flops, a sign of disrespect in the Arab world.
In the two months since Mr Mubarak stepped down, the council of generals ruling the country have initiated a series of investigations of top regime officials.
Gamal is believed to be the architect of Egypt's privatisation program and economic liberalisation, which has brought in billions in foreign investment but has also widened the gap between rich and poor.
Many of his close associates were billionaires and held top positions in the ruling party and the government. There are allegations that they used their positions for personal gain.
Photo: Reuters
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