The Financial and Commercial Affairs Prosecution has finished hearing the testimonies of the victims of the fraud allegedly carried out by businessmen Nabil el-Boushy and his partner Fikri Badr Eddin, head of the board of directors of the Optima Company. Sources said that the two defendants would be referred to Cairo Court of Appeal next week and that a date would then be set for them to be tried before the Criminal Court on charges of receiving money and not returning it. The sources also affirmed that the Prosecution has received the two reports of the Capital Market Authority (CMA). According to these reports, the two defendants took hold of 83 victims' money ($203 million). Dr. Samir Sabry, the lawyer of some depositors, said the CMA's reports affirm this is a money investment case and does not regard the Capital Market Law. He also pointed out that Nabil el-Boushi is accused of violating the law no. 146 of 1988 about companies which receive money. Talking about el-Boushi's second wife, Mrs. Hikmat, he said the fact that she had obtained the 'khula' [the right of a woman in Islam to divorce or separate from her husband] does not affect the Public Prosecutor's decisions to impound her money and her movable and real estate properties, as such decision was taken and was upheld by the Criminal Court when she was still his wife. So, it does not affect the impound issued by the Family Court, either. He also said the khula does not prevent the Prosecution from revealing her secret accounts as well as her real estate and movable properties. Meanwhile, el-Bouhsi threatened to reveal the names of new officials in different posts, including ministers and children of ministers who he said got 180% interests on their money.
