A sting operation conducted by Cairo’s oversight authorities ended with the arrest of the Al-Moski District’s Planning Director, who was caught red-handed inside a restaurant while receiving a cash bribe. The prosecution ordered his detention for four days pending investigations into the full scope of his activities.

According to official reports, the case began when investigators received intelligence suggesting that the official had agreed with a business owner to accept a 100,000 EGP bribe in exchange for issuing a site clearance certificate for a land plot located in the Al-Gama’a Al-Ahmar area. He allegedly received 40,000 EGP as a down payment, with the remaining amount to be delivered after finalizing the paperwork.

After days of surveillance, authorities set up a well-planned sting operation that culminated in his arrest inside the restaurant, where he was found with the marked money in his possession. The prosecution ordered the seizure of the funds and related documents and instructed investigators to verify whether the suspect had been involved in similar offenses.

Witnesses at the scene have been summoned for questioning, while the official now faces charges of “requesting and accepting a bribe in exchange for performing his public duties.”

This incident comes amid a broader anti-corruption campaign targeting administrative irregularities within local authorities, as Egypt continues to strengthen its commitment to transparency and accountability.

In a parallel case in Alexandria, the head of the East District was arrested to enforce a life sentence previously issued in absentia in a bribery case linked to his earlier tenure as mayor of El-Mahalla El-Kubra, reflecting the widening scope of the state’s efforts to root out corruption.