Prosecution investigates officials on taking bribes from commodities firms

CAIRO – 25 August 2018: The Supreme State Security prosecution is currently investigating 11 Egyptian officials including the chairman of the state Food Industries Holding Company (FIHC) due to suspicions that they have been taking bribes from commodities trading firms.

The Administrative Control Authority (ACA) – the regulatory body responsible for enforcing laws and regulations within state bodies – has ordered the arrest of numerous officials over the last two years, within the framework of the leadership’s fight against corruption.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi has always stressed on applying strict measures within the government institutions to crack down on any violation. He hailed the role played by the ACA in different occasions.
On Aug. 7, 2018, Major General Ibrahim Abdel Aaty, head of Giza’s Al-Haram district, was detained for four days after security forces arrested him on Tuesday over accusations of receiving bribes from three construction companies.

According to preliminary investigations, Abdel Aaty negotiated with the three companies to receive a bribe consisting of three apartments, bank cheques and a sum of money, according to the state-owned Al-Ahram. He received LE 700,000, according to the investigation.

Abdel Aaty was caught red-handed after the prosecution carried out legal procedures that allowed the police to record some of his negotiations with the companies, according to the investigation.

The district head received a bribe from the three companies to halt legal procedures that had to be carried out against some of the buildings that violate the law in al-Haram district, according to the investigation. The form of violation is not yet known to Egypt Today.
The accused major general denied all accusations. The prosecution ordered obtaining Abdel Aaty’s voiceprint as he also denies the recordings.

The prosecution listened to the representatives of the three construction companies and formally accused Abdel Aaty of receiving bribes, misusing his authority and deliberately failing to perform his duties.
On July 9, Former Head of the Customs Authority Gamal Abdel Azim was arrested over accusations of receiving a financial bribe of LE 1 million from an importer of textiles in exchange for the termination of customs clearance procedures for certain imported goods.

On Aug. 7, Minister of Finance Mohmed Ma’it decided to appoint Kamal Hassan Negm as head of the Customs Authority.

The minister handed the new head his appointment decision in the presence of Deputy Minister of Finance of the Treasury Ihab Abu Aish, Assistant Minister for Revenue Amr al-Khouly, and Advisor to the Minister of Finance for Customs Affairs and former Head of the Authority Magdy Abdel Aziz.

The minister emphasized the important role played by customs officials in protecting citizens’ health, security and stability, stressing that they also play a role in protecting the country from drugs, crackers and harmful and illegal practices.

Negm was the head of the Central Administration of the Eastern Province in the customs operations sector.