Global General

Egypt releases Mubarak's wife on bail

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-17 21:28

Suzanne Mubarak, wife of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, smiles at the Presidential Palace in Cairo in this February 5, 2008 file photo. [Photo/Xinhua]

CAIRO - Egypt's Assistant Justice Minister for Illicit Gains Authority (IGA) Assem el-Gohari on Tuesday ordered the release of Suzanne Thabet, wife of former president Hosni Mubarak, official MENA news agency said.

The decision was made after Suzanne Thabet agreed to reveal her bank accounts at home and abroad and after she agreed to return all her assets, estimated to be worth 24 million Egyptian pounds ( about 4 million U.S. dollars), it said.

Suzanne has authorized the Illicit Gains Authority to withdraw her money from two bank accounts and sell a villa in Cairo.

She was hospitalized on Friday after the country's Illicit Gains Authority ordered to detain her for 15 days over charges of illegal acquisition of wealth.

An Egyptian newspaper said on Tuesday Mubarak is likely to make an apology to Egyptians soon for the bad conduct of himself and his family.

A speech is being prepared and will probably be recorded soon by Mubarak and aired via Egyptian and Arab TV channels, the Al- Shorouk newspaper reported.

The speech will include an offer by the former president and his wife to give up all their assets, which have been frozen, to the Egyptian people, the newspaper said.  

Mubarak was forced to resign on February 11 after 18 days of domestic protests against his 30-year rule. He is now under detention in a hospital in Egypt's Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh.