Mubarak's 'enforcer' jailed for corruption

An Egyptian court sentenced a former interior minister, who worked under ousted President Hosni Mubarak, to seven years in prison on Saturday after finding him guilty of corruption.

Former minister Habib el-Adly, who had been charged with embezzling public funds, can appeal the verdict to Egypt's top court - the Court of Cassation.

Adly, who was the long-serving head of Egypt's much feared internal security apparatus, was acquitted of other corruption charges two years ago. In 2014 he was cleared, along with Mubarak and six of his aides, of charges related to the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that led to the toppling of the government.

Adly, known as Mubarak's "enforcer," is seen by many Egyptians as the man responsible for some of the worst excesses of the Mubarak regime.

Adly and his co-conspirators

Adly did, however, serve three years in prison for using police conscripts as free labor in his private properties. He was released in 2015.

Mubarak was freed last month after six years in detention, having been acquitted of the final murder charges against him.

Adly was not in court on Saturday and his lawyer did not respond to a call for comment.

Besides Adly, the court sentenced two other ministry officials to seven years in prison without parole. The court ordered the three men to refund about 2 billion Egyptian pounds ($110 million) and fined them the same amount.

The court sentenced six others to six years in prison each and two to three years. Adly had been under house arrest since November.

bik/rc (Reuters, AP, AFP)