Egypt grants final acquittal to Mubarak’s petroleum minister over Egypt-Israel gas deal

Egypt’s Court of Cassation upheld a final ruling of releasing Mubarak-era petroleum minister Sameh Fahmy in the case of gas exportation to Israel, Thursday.

A judicial source told Anadolu Agency, under condition of anonymity, that the Court of Cassation (the country’s highest appellate court for general jurisdiction cases) rejected yesterday the Public Prosecution’s appeal against acquitting Sameh Fahmy, the former petroleum minister, along with five other petroleum officials over squandering public money in the case of Egyptian gas exportation to Israel at low prices.

On 22 February 2015, Cairo Criminal Court acquitted the minister and the other 5 officials, but the Public Prosecution appealed against the ruling to the Court of Cassation on 18 April 2015. On 27 September 2016, the Court of Cassation has set yesterday’s session to consider the prosecution’s appeal, which was rejected.