CAIRO-Egypt's Culture Minister Farouq Hosni has said he preferred to be voluntarily questioned by the prosecutors to refute allegations by his aide that he shared responsibility in the theft of a $55 million painting from a Cairo museum. "I have decided to be questioned voluntarily, in order to help bring in justice and in order for the truth to prevail," Hosni told reporters after a three-hour questioning session on Sunday night. He added that he had filed a request for the prosecutors to hear his testimony about the allegations filed by Mohsen Shaalan, his deputy for museum's sectors. Shaalan is now in police custoday over charges of negligence over the painting's thaft. "Shaalan could have developed security measures in the Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum. He had an independent budget to do so," Hosni said. Shaalan and four employees at the Mahmoud Khalil Museum were temporarily detained for further investigation on charges of "security negligence" that lead to the theft of “Poppy Flowers”. Shaalan has denied accusations of negligence and pointed the finger at the Minister of Culture, which he said was using him as a "scapegoat".