Former housing minister acquitted

Fady Salah
1 Min Read
The North Cairo Criminal Court acquitted and ordered the release of former Housing Minister Ibrahim Soliman from illicit gains charges on Sunday. (AFP File Photo)
Former Egyptian housing minister Mohammed Ibrahim Suleiman stands behind bars during his hearing at a court in Cairo on August 27, 2011. Following the ouster of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, several of his ministers and deputies have been hauled into court most on corruption charges.  (AFP File Photo)
Former Egyptian housing minister Mohammed Ibrahim Suleiman stands behind bars during his hearing at a court in Cairo on August 27, 2011. (AFP File Photo)

Cairo Criminal Court ordered on Saturday the acquittal of Mohamed Ibrahim Soliman, former minister of housing, on charges of illegally allocating land for the Six of October Development and Investment Company (SODIC).

Soliman’s acquittal comes after he spent 24 months in detention, which exceeds the maximum legal time to be held on remand. However, the charges against Soliman will be considered during his retrial on 19 May.

Soliman and Magdy Rasekh, CEO of SODIC and an in-law of former president Hosni Mubarak, previously received a 5-year prison sentence, while several government officials received lower sentences on the same charges.

Afterwards, Cairo Appeals Court accepted the appeal filed by Soliman’s lawyers and ordered his retrial on Saturday.

A similar acquittal order was issued by South Cairo Criminal Court on 15 April, ordering Mubarak’s release after he was charged with killing protesters during the 25 January revolution.

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