CAIRO, Apr 3 (Aswat Masriya) – A Cairo appeals court has referred to the criminal court on Sunday two lawsuits in which a former justice minister and a TV host are accused of defaming former top auditor Hisham Geneina, who was recently dismissed by the president.   

Geneina filed the first lawsuit against former justice minister Ahmed al-Zend and TV host Ahmed Moussa accusing them of defamation, against the backdrop of comments they made on his being a "creation of the Muslim Brotherhood group" who is working for the advantage of the now-banned group. 

The lawsuit also included businessman Mohamed Abu al-Enin, the owner of Sada al-Balad TV channel on which Moussa's show is aired. 

The second lawsuit was filed against Abu al-Enin, Moussa and two lawyers after they accused Geneina and his family of being affiliated with the Brotherhood and "misleading public opinion" in favour of the group. 

Last Monday, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a decree sacking Geneina as director of the Central Auditing Authority, which monitors financial institutions and government bodies. 

Geneina had stirred up a media frenzy last December when he told Egyptian media that the size of governmental corruption in the period between 2012 and 2015 was EGP 600 billion (around $75 billion). In response, Sisi ordered that a cabinet-affiliated commission be formed to probe Geneina's allegations.  

Separately, Zend was also ordered by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail to give up his position as justice minister earlier in March. Zend's dismissal came on the heels of comments he made on a television show aired on Sada al-Balad private channel, having said in the show that he would jail a lawbreaker even if it is "the prophet", referring to Prophet Muhammad of Islam.  

Zend and Geneina have exchanged accusations and openly criticized each other in public statements. In an interview in August 2015, Geneina said it is "clear" that he is "not very liked" by Zend, who had earlier made statements on how Geneina was "soon" to be removed from his position. 

Cairo Appeals Court has set Jun. 4 for the first hearing in the two cases filed by Geneina against Zend and Moussa.