A lower court in Giza on Thursday found prominent anti-corruption activist and former independent MP Hamdi El-Fakharany guilty of blackmail, sentencing him to four years in prison and 12,800 dollar fine, Al-Ahram Online daily reported.
The court ruled El-Fakharany had blackmailed a businessman, demanding 447,284 dollars in return for dropping a corruption lawsuit against him, Al-Ahram said.
El-Fakharany can appeal the conviction. He is best known for his high-profile corruption-related lawsuits against companies and businessmen in the past decade, including cases involving the Talaat Mostafa Group, the Palm Hills Group and gold producer Centamin.
