Cairo, Apr 11: Bowing to demands by protesters that ousted , Hosni Mubarak be put on trial, Egyptian prosecutors today ordered the former head of state and his two sons be questioned on violence against pro-democracy rallyists and embezzlement.
The summons for appearance for the former Egyptian ironman came just 24-hour after Mubarak came out of his self imposed seclusion to decry what he termed as an “unjust campaign against him and declared that he did not own any assets abroad.”
“All measures would be taken to ensure the safety of Mubarak and his sons during their appearance,” the Interior Minister, Mansur Essawy said.
But no date was announced, Al Jazeera reported, saying that the minister had warned that if Mubarak refused to show up he could face arrest.
The police also detained the country's former prime minister Ahmed Nazif as part of investigations into misuse of public fund, the public prosecutor's statement said. The former president, who was toppled after over three decade in power, said he would cooperate with the country's prosecutors in the corruption investigations. In his first public statement after stepping down from office on February 11, Mubarak told Al-Arabia news channel that he could not remain silent in what he termed was an incitement campaign against him.
He said he had given up his post “in the interest of the country” and had decided to stay away from politics. Mubarak said he was prepared to submit written replies to the authorities to allow them to investigate allegations that he himself or any of his family members owned assets outside the country.
After stepping down, Mubarak and his family have moved to a residence in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Shaikh. But despite his vehement denials, thousands of people massed in Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square demanding that the former president be put on trial and charged the Egyptian military particularly the defence minister of colluding to save Mubarak.
Trumpeted as a saviour in the beginning of the revolt, because it was soft on the protesters, the Egyptian army is facing increasing criticism for stalling electoral reforms, not putting Mubarak in the dock and alleged human rights abuses. PTI
