Global General

Prosecutor summons Mubarak in graft probe

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-04-11 09:48

CAIRO - Egypt's public prosecutor on Sunday summoned Hosni Mubarak as part of probes into the killing of protesters and the embezzlement of public funds, but the ousted president said allegations of wrongdoing levelled against him were lies.

Mubarak's sons Gamal and Alaa were also summoned in the embezzlement probe, general prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud said in a statement, adding that Mubarak's rejection of the corruption accusations against him and his family would not affect the investigations.

Separately, the prosecutor detained former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif for 15 days as part of investigations into squandering of public funds.

Mubarak earlier broke a two-month silence since his fall from power on February 11 to say information sent to the prosecutor would show he owned no financial assets or real estate abroad.

Details of bank accounts owned by his sons Alaa and Gamal would disprove any suspicions of profiteering and illegal gains, he said.

"I will uphold all my legal rights to defend my reputation as well as that of my family both at home and abroad," Mubarak said in a recorded statement carried by Al Arabiya TV.

Justice Minister Mahmoud al-Guindy said Mubarak and his family could help the investigation by giving the judiciary power of attorney to examine the wealth they hold outside the country, the state news agency MENA reported.

"This power of attorney would facilitate the task of the judicial committee tasked with making an inventory of their wealth," MENA quoted Guindy as saying.

Several countries froze assets of Mubarak's family and some of their associates after he was forced from office by a wave of public indignation at corruption among the political elite.

Protesters who massed across Egypt for 18 days to demand Mubarak's removal accused him of squandering the country's wealth and some media reports have suggested the former president may have amassed a fortune worth billions of dollars.

MEDIA "LIES"

Mubarak's family and some political allies have been banned from travelling while state prosecutors investigate the complaints against them.

"I have been, and still am, pained by what I and my family are facing from fraudulent campaigns and unfounded allegations that seek to harm my reputation, my integrity and my military and political record," said Mubarak.

He said he only had assets and bank accounts in one Egyptian bank, as he had previously disclosed.

Mubarak said "lies" carried by local and foreign media that he and his family own extensive real estate holdings abroad would be disproved.

Since he left office, Mubarak, 82, and his family have stayed in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and Egyptian officials have denied reports and rumours that he is very ill.

Reformers who drove the mass street protests that ousted the leader of three decades have demanded tougher steps to recover assets they say he and others took from the state.

A committee set up to probe violence during the demonstrations that toppled Mubarak laid charges against the former president for the murder of protesters.

More than 360 people died in the uprising and thousands were injured when police fired rubber bullets, live ammunition, water cannon and tear gas at peaceful protesters.