Egypt acquits Mubarak minister al-Adly of corruption

An Egyptian court has acquitted a senior official from former president Hosni Mubarak’s government on corruption charges, in the latest ruling to clear a prominent figure from the ousted leader’s era.

Habib al-Adly was cleared of illegally amassing $23m and was expected be “released soon,” his lawyer and state media said on Thursday.

Adly, who served as interior minister and oversaw the country’s police force, was acquitted last year along with Mubarak and six others on charges relating to the deaths of protesters during 2011 that helped lead to the government’s downfall.

Last month, an appeals court overturned a suspended five-year sentence against Adly and former premier Ahmed Nazif over other corruption charges.

While the courts have been gradually absolving Mubarak-era officials, they have been handing down lengthy sentences to liberal and Islamist activists in cases ranging from protesting to committing acts of violence.

Morsi was ousted in 2013 by then army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who was subsequently elected as his successor.