CAIRO, Sept. 7 (UPI) — Egypt’s agriculture minister abruptly resigned Monday and was immediately arrested on charges of corruption, officials said.
The resignation of Agriculture Minister Selah Eddin Helal was accepted by the prime minister on the orders of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, state-run news media reported.
Helal’s resignation and arrest were both related to his alleged involvement in a corruption case, Nile News reported. No other details of the case were immediately revealed, though, a number of other agricultural officials were also being investigated on suspicion of corruption.
Al-Sisi, who took office a year ago, has been making a conspicuous effort to crack down on government-level corruption in Cairo.
Former President Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to three years in prison and four of his sons were given four years for embezzling $14 million in government funds.
Monday’s was the first arrest of a high-profile member of al-Sisi’s government.
