A 6 October misdemeanor court began Wednesday the trial of former MP Hamdi al-Fakharani over charges of embezzlement and asking for LE5 million in bribes.
Fakharani is facing accusations of requesting the bribe from a businessman in return for giving up a lawsuit he had brought against the legality of the businessman’s ownership of a plot of land in Minya, south of Egypt.
Police barred reporters from attending the opening trial.
Fakharani stood behind several anti-corruption petitions and was involved in legal action against alleged corruption in Egypt’s natural gas deal with Israel.
He was arrested while receiving the alleged bribe in September, which he denied by arguing that he was framed.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
