Mubarak and Wife Set to Make Public Apology

posted on: May 17, 2011

Egypt’s ousted president Hosni Mubarak and his wife are set to make a public apology and give up their financial assets in an attempt to secure amnesty from prosecution.

Mr Mubarak and his wife Suzanne are in custody for questioning over allegations of corruption.

The former president is also accused of ordering security forces to shoot protesters in the days before he stepped down.

An Egyptian newspaper says he is drafting a letter for broadcast on local television, apologising on his and his family’s behalf for any offence caused to the people.

It is understood he will also offer to give his assets to the state, something his wife has already done.

On Monday Ms Mubarak gave three powers of attorney the authority to withdraw about $3 million from bank accounts and to sell a luxury villa she owns in Cairo.

The Mubaraks are both under arrest in a hospital in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik.

Authorities say Ms Mubarak will be released on bail after handing over her assets.

The case against Ms Mubarak “into the illegal acquisition of wealth is still ongoing, however the wife of the former president does not need to be in detention because she relinquished her assets to the state. She will be released on bail shortly,” a judicial source said.

It was not immediately clear how much bail was set for.

Mr Mubarak sons, Alaa and Gamal, are being held in Cairo’s Tora prison on fraud charges.

The Mubaraks’ fall from grace came on February 11, after 18 days of nationwide protests against the president’s three-decade rule.

ABC/AFP