The Giza Criminal Court postponed till January 6 the retrial of former Prime Minister Atef Ebeid and ex-deputy premier and agriculture minister Youssef Wali over charges of selling Al-Bayadiya island natural reserve to fugitive businessman Hussein Salem.
The defense submitted an official copy of Ebeid's death certificate to be attached to the case documents, asking the panel to drop all charges against Ebied because of his death.
The defendants, including three others, face charges of squandering 700 million pounds of public funds by selling the 36-acre Al-Bayadeya Island in Luxor for less than its value.
The Cassation Court has revoked jail sentences handed down against the five defendants in connection with the case and ordered a retrial.
The Giza court in March had sentenced Ebeid and Wali to 10 years in prison. It also convicted Ahmed Abdel Fattah, Wali’s legal adviser, as well as businessman Salem and his son Khaled, to 15 years in prison.