Egyptian lawyer Hany Sameh has filed a claim with the Public Prosecutor’s office against the renowned Salafi preacher Mohamed Hussein Yaqoub, accusing him of marrying 20 virgin girls and laundering millions of pounds.
Sameh confirmed that the communication he submitted was transferred to the Cairo Appeal Prosecution for investigation, and he is waiting to be summoned for testimony.
Sameh submitted claims against Yaqoub, based on Law 51 of 2014, which regulates the practice of rhetoric and religious lessons in mosques, and in public places.
Based on Article Two of the law, only preachers licensed by the Endowments Ministry and authorized preachers of Al-Azhar are allowed to deliver speeches and religious lessons, which does not apply to Yaqoub, who preaches without a license, according to Sameh.
“Some of the preachers failed in their lives, so they resorted to religion to coexist and make a living like Mohamed Hussein Yaqoub, who resorted to hunting virgin girls and marrying them, despite his old age,” Sameh claimed.
He also accused Yaqoub of religious preaching through social media pages and websites and collecting funds and advertising profits as a result.
The communication demanded an investigation into Yaqoub for practicing religious preaching without a license, promoting extremism, and profiting hundreds of thousands of pounds per month from YouTube and social media.
Sameh claimed that Yaqoub profited from practicing da’wah, selling sermons and satellite advertisements, and received gifts and donations, despite his being officially prohibited from public speaking.
