Egypt court upholds release of Gamal, Alaa Mubarak in 'presidential palaces' case

Tuesday 15-11-2016 02:46 PM

Alaa Mubarak and Gamal Mubarak in a previous trial session - Reuters

CAIRO, Nov 15 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt's Cassation Court upheld on Tuesday the release of the ousted president's sons Gamal and Alaa in the "Presidential Palaces" case, saying they completed their prison sentence.

In May 2015, the Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Mubarak and his two sons to three years in prison for embezzlement and seizing public funds and fined them around EGP 125 million. The three were also obliged to repay EGP 21 million.

However, the court released Gamal and Alaa in October 2015 for having completed their time in preventive detention as they were held in custody since April 2011.

The prosecution had argued that they had not completed their three-year prison sentence and thus appealed the court's decision to release them.

Lawyer Farid al-Deeb, who also defended Mubarak in another high profile case, argued in today's trial session that Alaa and Gamal had indeed completed their prison sentence, adding that the prosecution did not add up all their prison time accurately.

The Mubaraks were also accused in other cases including manipulating the stock market and conspiring in the killing of protesters during the January 2011 uprising. Gamal and Alaa were cleared of charges in the protesters case.

Ousted President Hosni Mubarak is currently undergoing a retrial over the killing of protesters. He was originally sentenced to life in prison before having the case against him dropped in the first retrial.

The prosecution appealed the verdict given in the first retrial and the court then ordered a second and final retrial of the case.

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