Authorities in Egypt have arrested a former Minister from the ousted Mubarak regime and the former chief of state television and radio in connection with an investigation into allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds, officials said on Thursday.
The arrests of former Information Minister Anas al-Fiqqi and former state broadcasting chief Osama al-Sheikh were widely expected. While Fiqqi was placed under house arrest earlier this month, Sheikh was banned from traveling abroad on Wednesday.
According to Egyptian media reports, Fiqqi is accused of misusing public funds from the Cairo International Film Festival, and Sheikh of wasting public money on a television serial. Both men were arrested from their homes on Thursday on warrants issued by the financial affairs section of the prosecutor’s office.
Fiqqi is the fourth member of the toppled Mubarak government to be arrested over corruption charges following the detentions of former Ministers Habib el-Adly (Interior), Zuhair Garana (Tourism) and Ahmed al-Maghrabi (Housing) last week.
A day earlier, Garana, Maghrabi and steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, who was once senior leader in Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, had appeared before a criminal court in Cairo to face charges. All of them denied any wrong doings.
They are among more than a dozen ex-Ministers and businessmen with links to the former regime currently facing investigations over corruption charges. They have also been banned from traveling abroad.
Analysts believe investigations progressing against the prominent members of the previous regime are part of efforts by Egypt’s current military rulers to earn the trust of the citizens in the wake of protests and strikes over pay and working conditions.
The developments come after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down from office on February 11 amid mass protests staged across the country against his 30-year rule, turning over control of the nation to the military.
According to U.N. estimates nearly 300 people have died and over 4,000 injured since the unrest broke out on January 25. Habib el-Adly was in charge of the police during the protests. He has since been blamed for the deaths in police crackdown on protesters.
Since the overthrow of the Mubarak regime, the military council has dissolved the country’s Parliament, suspended the country’s Constitution and promised to hold free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections within six months. The military has also pledged to amend the Constitution to take away absolute powers previously given to the President.