Egypt sentences ex-interior minister Habib al-Adly to 7 years' jail

Former Egyptian interior minister Habib al-Adly has been sentenced to 7 years' jail for charges of embezzlement. PHOTO: REUTERS

CAIRO (AFP) - An Egyptian court sentenced former interior minister Habib al-Adly to seven years in prison for corruption on Saturday (April 15), in one of the last cases against Hosni Mubarak-era officials following his 2011 overthrow.

Adly, who was seen as a brutal enforcer for the ousted strongman Mubarak, can appeal the verdict.

The sentencing came less than a month after Mubarak himself was freed from detention, following his acquittal over charges of involvement in protester deaths during the 18-day revolt that unseated him.

Adly and other police commanders had also been acquitted of those charges.

But the court on Saturday found him and 10 other interior ministry officials guilty of embezzling more than two billion pounds (S$3.5 million) while Adly was interior minister.

Two other defendants also received seven-years sentences, while the court sentenced six others to six years in prison each.

Adly had been placed under house arrest since November.

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