Egypt's attorney general on Wednesday referred former Housing Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Suleiman and businessman Magdi Rasekh for criminal trial. In a statement on its Facebook page, the attorney general charged Suleiman and Rasekh with profiteering and willful mismanagement of public funds. Suleiman and some of his subordinates are accused of covering up violations allegedly committed by Rasekh, in relation to 2550 feddans of land he was allocated in Sheikh Zayed. Prosecutors say Rasekh breached financial commitments stated in the land contract, a violation which should have led the state to terminate his contract and reclaim the land. But Suleiman and his deputies only recovered 885 feddans of land, according to the statement, allowing Rasekh to generate LE907.7 million in profits – as well as another LE81 million after the businessman sold 1 million square meters of the land, violating state regulations. The statement added that Rasekh was exempted from comprehensive development fees amounting to LE13.8 million, fees which other companies that purchased state land were forced to pay. The prosecution also brought charges against the chairman of the Sixth of October Development and Investment Company, Alaa Mubarak's father-in-law and four other officials, the statement said.
