Court reopens corruption probe against Mubarak

An Egyptian court ordered on Thursday a renewed corruption probe into ousted president Hosni Mubarak, who has been cleared for release after almost six years in detention, judicial officials said.

The court ruling to reopen the investigation after it had been dropped would not affect a prosecution decision to release Mubarak after his acquittal in another case, the officials said.

Mubarak, 88, remains in a Cairo military hospital.

The new investigation centres around allegations that he, his wife, two sons and their wives received gifts from the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper valued at about $1 million.

An investigative judge had agreed in 2013 to drop the probe after they paid back the amount, but the prosecution appealed.

He is also being investigated separately for illicit gain, but has not been referred to trial.

On March 2, Egypt’s top appeals court had acquitted Mubarak of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 revolt that toppled him, ending the final trial for the strongman who had ruled for 30 years.

He was accused of inciting the deaths of protesters during the 18-day revolt, in which about 850 people were killed as police clashed with demonstrators.

In January 2016, the appeals court upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons on corruption charges.

But the sentence took into account time served. Both of his sons, Alaa and Gamal, were freed.