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CAIRO: Egypt's state security prosecutor on Wednesday ordered four Egyptian officials detained for four days for questioning on suspicion of taking bribes from commodities trading firms, a judicial source said.
State news agency MENA reported on Tuesday the officials had been arrested.
They include the chairman of the state Food Industries Holding Company (FIHC), a supply ministry adviser responsible for coordination with parliament, a supply ministry spokesman and an official in the FIHC chairman's office, MENA said.
FIHC, a state buyer that has historically handled a broad sweep of commodities, tendering locally and internationally for staples like vegetable oils and sugar, has in recent years seen its role reduced in favour of state grain-buyer GASC.
Egypt is the world's largest importer of wheat and a major buyer of staples like corn and vegetable oils.
(Reporting by Haitham Ahmed, writing by John Davison, editing by Larry King) ((John.Davison@thomsonreuters.com;))