Trial of Safwat el-Sherif, 2 sons postponed to October 27

Cairo Criminal Court adjourned on Sunday the trial of former Shura Council speaker Safwat el Sherif and his two sons, Ashraf (released) and Ehab (fugitive), to October 27 over profiteering and power abuse charges.

The court delayed the session to give the defendants' lawyers more time to review a report issued by a panel of experts tasked with studying the case papers.

According to investigations by the Illicit Gain Authority (IGA), Sherif, once secretary general for the now-dissolved National Democratic Party, has earned an ill-gotten fortune of 300 million pounds, abusing the posts he held during the rule of former president Hosni Mubarak.

He bought plots of lands, farmlands, villas and apartments in several areas nationwide, most of which were state-owned, at low prices.

The IGA had asked the court to include Sherif's wife, Eqbal and daughter, Eman, in the case and oblige them all to repay 600 million pounds to the State.