Prosecutor General Talaat Abdallah has transferred the attorney general for East Cairo Prosecution to Beni Suef.
In a memorandum sent to the attorney general, Mostafa Khater, Abdallah said the decision was based on work needs. However, the transfer followed Khater's order to release 137 suspects detained during the recent clashes around the presidential palace, citing a lack of evidence.
Khater had also ordered the arrest of 12 additional suspects, on suspicion of possessing weapons including Molotov cocktails.
Abdallah assigned Ahmed Gamal Eddin, the attorney general for the prosecution’s inspection department, to take over Khater’s position.
Khater had played a prominent role in recent high-profile investigations, including the killing of protesters during the 25 January revolution. Former President Hosni Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly were sentenced to life imprisonment for failing to prevent the deaths.
Khater also investigated the murder of Lebanese pop star Suzanne Tamim, which resulted in former policeman Mohsen al-Sokkary receiving a life sentence and businessman Hesham Talaat Mostafa receiving 15 years in prison.
