Egypt court sentences mental hospital officials over Farahat's bribe

A military court that said last Thursday it would not punish an Egyptian, already sentenced to death for killing 9 tourists, for bribing hospital officials.

The court acquitted Saber Farahat Aboul-Ela, on death row for attacking a bus full of German tourists on September 18, saying it was acquiting him because he had admitted bribing the staff at a state mental hospital to let him in and out at will.

But it gave jail terms ranging from three years to life to the officials Saber had accused of accepting the bribes.

The judge sentenced hospital director Nassim Abdel Malek to life in jail and ordered him to pay a L.E 4,000 (1.180 US dollars) fine for taking money from Saber, who was branded insane after killing 3 people in a Cairo hotel in 1993.

Hospital manager Dr. Sayed El Qut and two nurses were acquitted for lack of evidence although Saber had also named them.

The court handed 10-year prison sentences to three nurses and five year sentences to the gatekeeper and another nurse for letting Saber go in and out of the hospital, Al Ahrar daily said today.