Cairo Misdemeanor Court has upheld a ruling against former Prime Minister Hesham Qandil sentencing him to one year in prison for failure to implement the Administrative Court verdict ordering the re-nationalisation of the Tanta Flax and Oil Company.
The company was privatised in 2005, when it was sold to Saudi investor Abdel-Ellah Al-Kaaky for less than its total value, forcing hundreds of workers into retirement.
In September 2011, the court ruled against the privatisation of Tanta Flax and Oil. On Saturday, the Administrative Court overturned an appeal filed against the renationalisation of the company.
The lawsuit against Qandil was instigated by a number of the company’s workers. On 17 April, he was convicted and received a one-year sentence in prison. He appealed the ruling and can now file another appeal with the court of cassation if he chooses.
Qandil was appointed as Egypt’s PM by deposed president Mohamed Morsi in August 2012, remaining in office until Morsi’s ouster on 3 July. An interim-government led by PM Hazem El-Beblawi was sworn in shortly after.
Morsi has been held incommunicado since then pending investigations into various charges against him.
Several officials under Morsi's presidency are also being investigated, while dozens of Muslim Brotherhood leading members, from which Morsi hails, have been arrested on charges of inciting violence.
