Egypt tourism minister ‘jailed’

Zuhair Garranah handed out licences illegally

Egypt’s former Tourism Minister Zuhair Garranah has been jailed for five years on charges of corruption, an Egyptian judicial source has said.

Garranah had handed out tourism licences illegally, the source said.

Last week, ex-Interior Minister Habib al-Adly was jailed for 12 years for money-laundering and profiteering.

A number of former officials are being investigated in Egypt following the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Garranah, who was sentenced along with two businessmen, was charged with wasting public funds worth $51m (£31m) after authorising the sale of state-owned land for well below the market price, the AFP news agency reports.

More than 20 Mubarak-era ministers and businessmen linked to the regime have been detained since Mr Mubarak’s departure.

The trial of corrupt officials, including Mr Mubarak, was a key demand of protesters.

Mr Mubarak remains in a hospital in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, despite a directive from the new government that he too should be moved to prison.

The former president – who was ousted on 11 February – is under investigation on suspicion of involvement in the killings of anti-regime protesters.

At least 846 civilians were killed during 18 days of street protests. Most were shot in the head and chest.

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