CAIRO, (Reuters) – Egypt’s public prosecutor yesterday summoned Hosni Mubarak as part of probes into the killing of protesters and the embezzlement of public funds, but the ousted former president said allegations against him of wrongdoing were lies.
Mubarak’s sons Gamal and Alaa were also summoned in the embezzlement probe, general prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud said in a statement, adding that Mubarak’s rejection of the corruption accusations against him and his family would not affect the investigations.
The prosecutor also detain-ed former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif for 15 days as part of investigations into squandering of public funds.
Earlier, Mubarak broke a two-month silence since his fall from power on Feb. 11 to say information sent to the prosecutor would show he owned no financial assets or real estate abroad.
Details of bank accounts owned by his sons Alaa and Gamal would disprove any suspicions of profiteering and illegal gains, he said.
“I will uphold all my legal rights to defend my reputation as well as that of my family both at home and abroad,” Mubarak said in a recorded statement carried by Al Arabiya TV.
Several countries froze assets of Mubarak’s family and some of their associates after he was forced from office under a wave of public indignation at corruption among the political elite.
Protesters who massed across Egypt for 18 days to demand Mubarak’s removal accused him of squandering the country’s wealth and some media reports have suggested the former president may have amassed a fortune worth billions of dollars.
Mubarak’s family and some political allies were banned from travelling while state prosecutors investigate the complaints against them.
“I have been, and still am, pained by what I and my family are facing from fraudulent campaigns and unfounded allegations that seek to harm my reputation, my integrity and my military and political record,” said Mubarak.
He said he only had assets and bank accounts in one Egyptian bank, as he had previously disclosed.
Mubarak said “lies” carried by local and foreign media that he and his family own extensive real estate holdings abroad would be disproved.
