An Egyptian court has convicted the country’s former tourism minister of corruption and sentenced him to five years in prison.
The Cairo Criminal Court found Zuheir Garana guilty of intentionally damaging public finances by allowing two businessmen to illegally acquire state land.
The two businessmen, both being tried in absentia, were also sentenced to five years in jail.
Tuesday’s verdict can be appealed.
Garana is the second former high—ranking official of ex—President Hosni Mubarak’s regime to be convicted of corruption since Mr. Mubarak’s February 11 ouster.
About a dozen other former top Mubarak—era officials, including a former prime minister, the speakers of parliament’s two chambers and Mr. Mubarak’s two sons, also have been detained on suspicion of corruption.
