Cassation court looks into Mubaraks' challenge in presidential palaces case

The Cassation Court on Saturday looked into an appeal filed by the defense team of former president Hosni Mubarak and his sons challenging a previous ruling sentencing each of them to three years in rigorous imprisonment for stealing some 125 million pounds that had been allocated for renovating presidential palaces.

They were also ordered to pay a collective fine of about 125 million pounds and return 21 million to the State.

According to investigations, the three used State funds for personal purposes – designing and furnishing their real-estate property in Cairo's posh Heliopolis and Katameya Heights districts and Sharm El-Sheikh and Marina resorts – in the period between 2002 and 2011.

The prosecution requested that the court overrule the appeal and uphold the previous ruling issued by Cairo Criminal Court in May.

But Mubarak's lawyer requested that the three defendants be acquitted of all charges.

The court is set to convene later today, whether to issue a verdict or postpone the ruling to another session.

Sources: MENA