CAIRO – 14 July 2021: A southern Cairo court judge ordered the detention of Egyptian businessman Hassan Rateb for another 15 days pending investigation over funding a former MP in illegal excavation operations. The prosecution has accused Rateb of funding former MP Alaa Hassanin of funding the excavation of antiquities as its investigations revealed that Rateb provided millions of Egyptian pounds to Hassanin and his brother to help them in the excavation. The prosecution ordered the detention of Hassanin, former Al-Mihwar owner Hassan Rateb and 17 others pending investigation in the illegal excavation case. Rateb is accused of funding the digging process, which, according to the police investigations, occurred in different areas in the republic. The prosecution said it seized four deep digging sites, noting that the antiquities committee confirmed that the digging work was made to excavate antiquities.

Source: Egypt Today July 14, 2021 11:57 UTC