The Cairo Criminal Court will review on October 3 a plea filed by the two sons of former president Hosni Mubarak, Alaa and Gamal, over squandering public funds to build private establishments.

The plea called for deducting the period during which Alaa and Gamal were held in custody in other power abuse cases as part of the jail sentence issued by the court so that they could be released.

Mubarak and his two sons were convicted last May of embezzling EGP 125 million originally allocated for renovating presidential palaces in order to establish and develop their private buildings.

The former president received a three-year prison sentence and his sons four-year sentences each.

They were also ordered to pay a fine of about EGP 125 million and return EGP 21 million to the State.

On January 13, the Cassation Court annulled Alaa and Gamal Mubarak conviction and ordered a retrial.

Stating its reasons behind the acquittal, the court said the two have exceeded allowable remand custody period of 18 months.

The pair started their remand custody on June 25, 2013 in connection with the case then on May 21, 2014 the Criminal Court sentenced both of them to four years in jail.

Source: MENA