Ismailia Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced former Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza and businessman Amr Mansy to three years in prison.
Abaza and Mansy were indicted on charges of seizing 10,105 feddans of state-owned land east of the Suez Canal.
The suspects arrived in court Wednesday amid tight security and with many of their family members present.
Abaza and Mansy, the chairman of Baraem Misr company, were referred for trial in August 2010 after authorities charged Abaza with facilitating Mansy’s acquisition of state-owned land.
News reports allege Mansy squandered LE35 million in state funds to establish illusory projects.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
