The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Wednesday State Council purchasing official, Gamal El-Laban, to life in prison in the case known as the “State Council bribery”. The court further sentenced him to pay an EGP 1m fine, and ordered his dismissal from his position and the confiscation of another EGP 1m, state-owned media reported.
The police had previously announced that it found money amounting to millions in different currencies after searching his house.
The verdict, which can still be appealed, charged him with receiving a bribe of nearly EGP 800,000 from the owners of an office furniture company. El-Laban was also accused of forging purchasing documents.
The case was a local scandal that resulted in the suicide of another defendants in the case,, a judge, shortly after his arrest and interrogation. Wael Shalaby, former secretary-general of the State Council, hanged himself using a scarf while in custody, his lawyer reported.
In February, prosecution authorities referred the defendants to criminal court.
However in May, Al-Youm Al-Sabaa news website published a video where El-Laban asserted he was going to reconcile with the state over his case of illicit case.
Meanwhile, the defendant was also accused of requesting a sexual bribe from the company owner’s wife. The couple were among the defendants but did not face penalties in Wednesday’s verdict. They had confessed into the crimes of El-Laban.
