Mubarak detained for 15 days over wealth investigation

Investigators in Sharm al-Sheikh question ousted president and wife on accusations of using influence to accumulate massive wealth.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS
Mubarak 311 Reuters (photo credit: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah )
Mubarak 311 Reuters
(photo credit: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah )
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was detained for 15 days on charges that he allegedly used his political position to enrich himself illegally, the official MENA news agency was quoted by AFP Friday.
Senior justice ministry official Assem el-Gohari "has ordered the detention of former president Hosni Mubarak for 15 days following questioning in Sharm el-Sheikh that lasted three hours, over accusations of the illegal acquisition of wealth," MENA said.
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Mubarak and his wife Suzanna were interrogated for the first time by the anti-graft agency in the Sinai resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh beginning Thursday evening. The interrogation will continue Friday, MENA reported.
"The two face accusations that they took advantage of the president's influence to accumulate massive wealth not commensurate with their legally established sources of income," Gohri said.
Some media reports have suggested the Mubarak family's wealth may total billions of dollars. Such claims were a major rallying point for anti-government protesters in a country where some 40 percent of the population live on less than $2 per day.
Mubarak, who has denied wrongdoing, was first detained on April 13 and has been in a hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh since he suffered health problems under initial questioning by officials from the public prosecutor's office.
Mass demonstrations forced Mubarak to step down on Feb. 11 after three decades in power. Egypt's foreign ministry told its embassies in the Arab world and Western countries on Feb. 22 to freeze the assets of the toppled leader and his family.
Switzerland's Foreign Ministry said earlier this month the country had found 410 million Swiss francs ($462.5 million) traced to Mubarak.