Former top auditor Hisham Genena sentenced to 5 yrs in prison

CAIRO – 24 April 2018: The military court sentenced on Tuesday Hisham Genena, former head of the Central Auditing Organization, to five years in prison over his controversial statements to HuffPost Arabi. The sentence may be appealed.

Geneina was arrested on February 13 following his statement about Sami Anan, the now arrested former presidential candidate, where Geneina said that Anan possesses documents against the country's current leadership, which he kept outside Egypt.

According to Geneina, Anan’s documents incriminate the country’s leadership in the major events that happened following the January 2011 revolution and may be leaked in case Anan is harmed.

During Wednesday’s trial, Geneina’s lawyers, including Farid al Deeb, expressed objection to their client’s trial by a military court, claiming that Geneina’s case does not fall under the jurisdiction of the military court.

Deeb was the lawyer of former President Hosni Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al Adli, who were freed following their acquittal of charges that included corruption and killing protestors.

Following Geneina’s statements, military spokesperson Tamer el-Refai said that the Egyptian army will investigate the statements, saying that they drive a wedge between the Egyptian army and the citizens amid a war against terrorism.

Refai added that the army will act according to the right granted to it by the Constitution to preserve Egypt’s national security, dignity and honor.

Anan’s son accused Geneina of slander and spreading false information on behalf of his father. Nasser Amin, lawyer of Anan’s family, condemned Geneina’s statement, saying that all of the statements published contravene the truth and that he would take legal measures against Geneina.

Former Egyptian Chief of Staff Sami Anan was arrested in January on charges of announcing his presidential bid without obtaining permits from the Armed Forces and committing forgery to be included in the presidential race.