CAIRO: In a verdict seen as a positive step towards eradicating corruption, a Cairo Criminal Court ruled against a former member of the People's Assembly (PA) in a bribery case. Chairman of petroleum company Alex Oil and former PA member Emad Al-Galdah was handed down a three-year jail sentence along with a LE 2,000 fine by the Cairo Criminal Court. Although Mahmoud Amer, PA member, said he "cannot comment on a court verdict, he lauded the ruling nonetheless saying that "it is good to know that no one is above the law and that parliament members are subject to jail sentences should they commit illegal acts. Al-Galdah, among other employees in his company, is accused of attempting to bribe government employees in exchange for "unauthorized information about petroleum locations in Egypt. Amer, who is also affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, described this verdict as "a positive step that shows that the government is trying to fight corruption. However, Al-Galdah, who owns 70 percent of the company's stakes, received the minimum sentence compared to other people involved in the case. Mohamed Abdel Moneim Al-Dahy assistant vice president of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) was sentenced to 10 years in jail and a $190,000 fine. Mohamed Bahi Al-Din Niazi, general manager of the EGPC was also handed down a seven-year jail sentence along with a $27,500 fine. Other employees at the EGPC also received jail sentences ranging from five to seven years, along with fines ranging from LE 2,000 to $11,000. The court also ordered two managers and a financial consultant at Alex Oil to pay LE 180 in fines. This court verdict comes after those convicted had appealed its first one. However the most recent verdict is considered harsher since the previous one did not stipulate fines.
