CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) — Egypt’s agriculture minister re-signed Sept. 7 and was arrested on suspicion of corruption shortly after leaving the cabinet building.
“He was arrested in connection with a corruption case involving illegal land licences,” a security official said.
“He is under investigation.”
The minister, Salah El Din Mahmoud Helal, could not immediately be reached for comment, but the prime minister’s office said his resignation had been accepted on the instructions of president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The prosecutor general’s office said it was investigating ministry officials, including Helal, on suspicion of taking bribes in exchange for granting land licences.
An unnamed source close to the situation said Helal wasn’t taking full charge of the ministry, and decisions were often at odds with other ministries like the trade and industry.
