Egyptian politician el-Sherif free on bail

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CAIRO, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Safwat El-Sherif, former leader of Egypt's now-defunct National Democratic Party and currently fighting corruption charges, has been released from jail on bail.

El-Sherif, who was parliament speaker when Hosni Mubarak was president, is accused of obtaining 300 million Egyptian pounds ($49.2 million) during his long political career and association with Mubarak, the news website Ahram Online said Tuesday.

Investigations revealed El-Sherif had obtained his wealth by abusing his political status while he was information minister, speaker of the Shura Council upper house of Parliament and head of the country's Radio and Television Union under Mubarak, the report said.