CAIRO — A court has acquitted Egypt’s former culture minister on charges he failed to account for $3 million of his wealth.
Farouq Hosni, culture minister for most of Hosni Mubarak’s 29 year-rule, is among dozens of former officials who have faced corruption trials since the 2011 ouster of the longtime ruler. Court officials said the court found Hosni not guilty on the charges. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.
Mubarak is serving a life sentence for the deaths of protesters during the uprising. His sons Gamal and Alaa are on trial for insider trading and corruption charges.
Egyptian prosecutors are trying to convince a number of Western nations to return millions of dollars of funds allegedly stolen during Mubarak’s rule.