Public Prosecutor Talaat Abdallah has ordered investigations into alleged land infringements at Wasta, Beni Suef, where parts of the Nile River have been illegally filled and turned into land for sale.
A complaint, filed by lawyer Al-Sayyed Hamed, claimed the infringements occurred with the knowledge of local authorities.
Satellite channel ONtv aired a video clip showing individuals intimidating local residents before filling parts of the river in Wasta. Heavy-duty trucks, laden with sand and stone bricks, were unloaded into the water.
The complaint quoted a phone-in with ONtv’s Gaber al-Qarmouty, where the caller said he had informed all local officials of the breache,s but to no avail. The caller quoted officials as saying they were afraid of the perpetrators' possible reaction.
Egyptian authorities have reportedly been struggling to combat nationwide land grabs, which have been on the rise since the 2011 Egyptian revolution.
