Justice Minister Mohamed al-Guindi said on Sunday that his ministry is in the process of preparing a new law that would allow businessmen charged in corruption cases to return the money they stole in exchange for criminal charges being dropped. The Egyptian Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud had previously ordered a travel ban and assets freeze on several businessmen in anticipation of them being charged in corruption cases. At a news conference at the Council of Ministers on Sunday, al-Guindi said that under the new law those who benefitted from corruption while not being directly involved in it would be pardoned. A number of businessmen accused in corruption cases recently launched an initiative aimed at obtaining pardons in exchange for returning illegally obtained money. “The initiative is being seriously considered... We are preparing legislation that would deal with the initiative in a legal manner that would allow businessmen to be pardoned if they return the money,” said al-Guindi. Al-Guindi went on to say that the authorities will be hold accountable “the officials that facilitated their access” to the stolen money. Translated from the Arabic Edition
