CAIRO: An Egyptian court has acquitted three former President Hosni Mubarak ministers of graft charges, making this the the first ruling to exonerate ex-officials from the ousted regime since the Egyptian popular uprising in January and February. Furious with the outcome of the court case, hundreds of activists and observers congregated outside the courthouse once the decision to clear the three officials was released. Youssef Boutros-Ghali, the former finance minister and Anas al-Fikki, the former information minister, were acquitted of squandering public funds. In a separate ruling, Ahmed el-Maghrabi, the former housing minister and Yasseen Mansour, chairman of the Palm Hills Developments company, were found not guilty of charges. Yet, the three officials still face additional legal proceedings. Fikki is still being charged for other offenses and the Illicit Gains Authority is continuing to investigate him, Maghrabi and Boutrous-Ghali. Additionally, all of their assets have been frozen and they are banned from traveling outside the country. The Egyptian uprising that led to the ousting of Mubarak firmly demanded the need to cease high-level corruption. Hence, to many Egyptians the verdict of the charges against ex-government officials is a way to prove the level of transparency of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power after Mubarak's downfall. For weeks, Egyptians have been planning massive protests this Friday, July 8. They are meant to demand a quicker trial of Mubarak and his former lieutenants, and a just transition from military rule to democracy. The results of this trial could lead more Egyptians to join the protests and demand the fair prosecution of corrupt Mubarak officials. “I am going down on the 8th,” said youth activist Mohamed Ali, who complained of “the slow process of trials, insulting the martyrs of the revolution, exonerating the ghouls of the fallen regime and the return of police abuse as they act like little Pharaohs.” BM
