Gag order issued in Mubarak investigation

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CAIRO, March 19 (UPI) -- Egypt's top prosecutor has banned public statements about an investigation into Hosni Mubarak's alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars in state funds.

The former president, who was ousted in 2011, is accused of using fake contracts to access nearly $162 million in funds earmarked for presidential palaces for private villas in Cairo and Sharm El-Sheik for himself and his two sons, al-Masry al-Youm reported Monday.

Prosecutor General Talaat Abdallah issued the gag order after judicial sources told the news outlet on March 5 that documents proving Mubarak's guilt had been found following the Jan. 25 revolution.

The next day, Hisham al-Qarmout, a member of the Supreme State Security Prosecution, requested the gag order, saying the media should not be able to report on the case until the investigation was complete.

The Administrative Control Authority, which is reviewing the case, has already proven Mubarak used $7.4 million in state funds each year to maintain the villas, the report said.