Egypt's former top auditor injured in brawl: Interior Ministry

CAIRO – 27 January 2018: Former Head of Egypt’s Central Auditing Organization (CAO), Hesham Genena had an accident in which his leg was broken in a quarrel as it was demonstrated by the ministry of interior in a Saturday statement.

“Three armed thugs attacked Genena, while he was on his way to attend a court session which he had appealed against the dismissal decision which had resulted in removing him from the chairmanship of the Central Auditing Organization,” said lawyer Taha Ali.

Ali, the lawyer of Genena, told media reporters on Saturday that Genana had been attacked with a sharp knife and his leg had been broken.

“Genena is still at the Fifth Settlement police station, waiting to be referred to a hospital to receive medical treatment,” Ali added.

Cairo’s Security Directorate announced that it would investigate the lawsuit filed by Hesham Genana over the attack that he witnessed Saturday morning.

“Genana hit a young man, while he was driving his car on his way to attend a court session. Then, Genena had a row with the man he had hit and his two friends,” a security source told the privately-owned al-Watan newspaper on Saturday.

The source added that Genena’s leg was broken and the other man’s leg also was broken too and they both have been held at the First Settlement police station.

In December, 2015, Genena told Youm7 that about LE 600 billion ($106.2 billion) in state funds had gone missing in that year alone according to a 400-page investigative report conducted by his team. His statement raised controversial reports about loyalty of Genena, while the state prosecutor had issued a gagging order on any coverage of the report that Genena had referred too.

The Egyptian Parliament had approved a law issued by Sisi allowing him to dismiss heads of the independent observatory organization in July, 2015.

In March, 2016, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi had dismissed Hesham Genena from his post as a head of the Central Auditing Organization.

In May, 2016, Genena had appealed against the dismissal decision. The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) refused the appeal filed by Genena against Sisi’s decision. However, Genena had appealed against the SAC’s verdict.

In June 2016, Genena went on trial on charges of spreading “false news” and “disturbing” the country’s security due to his statements about corruption and missing funds.
On December 6, 2012, Brotherhood-affiliated ousted President Mohamed Morsi appointed Genena as the head of the Central Auditing Organization, succeeding Gawdat al-Malt who had resigned in March, 2011.

On Saturday, SAC has adjourned the appeal filed by Genena on March 10 to continue reviewing and studying the case.

On August 19, 2017, Cairo’s Criminal Court headed by Counselor Galal Abdel Latif, ordered the fining of Hesham Genena with LE 60,000 ($3,380) over charges of insulting former Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zind.

Genena was chosen to be part of Sami Anan’s presidential campaign. Anan, the former military chief of staff, was summoned by the Armed Forces, following his announcement of running for the 2018 presidential election due to take place in March.