Court steps down in retrial of former Egyptian minister over graft charges

Cairo Criminal Court decided Saturday to step down in the retrial of former information minister Anas el Fiqi over charges of illegal profiteering.

The court also decided to refer the case to Cairo Appeals Court to determine another judicial panel to look into the case.

Fiqi's retrial came in light of a ruling issued by the Court of Cassation to cancel an initial verdict that had been issued by Cairo Criminal Court, which sentenced Fiqi to one year in prison and a fine of 1.8 million pounds.

Fiqi had been referred to criminal prosecution for amassing a huge fortune that did not commensurate with his income.

The amount of gains attributed to him are worth 33.4 million pounds, which he gained from 2002 to 2011, according to the indictment statement.