Ahmed Shafiq, failed presidential candidate, has assets frozen in Egypt

GlobalPost

A court in Egypt today froze the assets of Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and a failed presidential candidate in that country.

The court, under the justice ministry’s Illicit Gains Authority, also froze the assets of Shafiq’s three daughters, Agence France-Presse reported.

Shafiq ran for the presidency this year, but lost to Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi.

“The decision comes as part of ongoing investigations into allegations that Shafiq illegally acquired his wealth,” Justice Ministry spokesman Ahmed Roshdy Sallam told MENA news agency, AFP reported.

The ministry drew attention to Shafiq’s real estate holdings, which include 12 villas, four chalets and two apartments, The Associated Press said.

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He now faces corruption charges, with a trial set to begin December 2, Ahram Online reported.

Ahram Online also reported that Egypt would add Shafiq’s three daughters to Cairo International Airport’s watch list.

Shafiq promised “an aggressive reaction,” the website said, to “an impulsive reaction that only aims to hinder my political career.”

“My financial position was reviewed and no wrongdoing was found” during his run for the presidency, he told Ahram Online’s Arabic-language website.

Shafiq is wanted in Egypt after he left for the United Arab Emirates following the election.

He said he would stay in UAE for “security reasons,” Ahram reported.

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