The State Security Prosecution office ordered Tareq Farrag, the deputy finance minister for real estate tax affairs, along with two others, be detained for four days pending investigations into corruption charges.
Farrag was arrested while receiving an LE1 million bribe from the owner of a contracting company in return for manipulating the value of a plot of land for a tourist resort. The total bride amounts to LE4 million, which would squander LE500 million of public money, the Administrative Control Authority declared on Saturday.
State-run Middle East News Agency (MENA) said Farrag faces charges of receiving bribes in order to breach the obligations of his job. The two others face charges of offering the bribe for the same purpose.
The suspect, according to sources from the authority, has been watched for more than a month following audio and video recordings of agreements for the bribe. The recordings were sent to the prosecution which issued a warrant for his arrest.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the arrest took place on Saturday at 4 pm.
