Ex-former Oil Minister, 5 Officials acquitted in Egypt-Israel Gas Deal

A Cairo Criminal Court on Saturday has acquitted ex-Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy alongside 5 officials in petroleum sector from selling Egyptian natural gas to Israel at below market prices.

This comes after the Cassation Court had abolished Cairo Criminal Court’s previous ruling that handed down sentences of three to 15 years to the former minister and prominent government officials.

Ex-Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy received a sentence of 15 years in prison and was removed from office, by orders of the court.

The Cassation Court accepted an appeal for the retrial of all the defendants in the Egyptian-Israeli gas deal.

The five officials who were also acquitted today are: Hassan Mohammed Aql, ex-deputy head of the Egyptian Board for Petroleum and Production; Mahmoud Latif Amer, ex-vice president of the General Egyptian Board for Petroleum Processing and Manufacturing; Ismail Hamid Ismail Karrara, ex-deputy head of the General Egyptian Board for Petroleum Planning; Mohamed Ibrahim Youssef, former Chairman of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS); and Ibrahim Saleh, former Chairman of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).

The prosecution asserted in all of the above cases that the defendants ordered the sale of gas to Israel at discounted prices resulting in a loss of US$714 million.