BY Victor Akhidenor
The Egyptian authorities have seized assets of former national football hero Mohamed Abou-Treika after he was accused of funding the banned Islamist movement the Muslim Brotherhood.
The country’s central bank had acted upon the instructions of a committee drawn up to seize and manage the outlawed Brotherhood’s funds and properties following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
Abou-Treika is accused of having ties to the Brotherhood, alleging that he owned a tourism company linked to the Islamist group during Morsi’s short one-year reign.
But a defiant Abou-Treika said he would stay in Egypt despite the action of the government.
“We earn money to keep it in our hands, not in our hearts. You can seize money or seize whoever you want, but I will not leave this country and I will continue to work here,” the 36-year-old tweeted.
However, if an investigation proves that he has been funding the Muslim Brotherhood the case will go to court.
A hugely popular footballing figure, Abou-Treika quit the game in 2013 after leading Egypt’s most successful club Al Ahly to a host of domestic and continental trophies.
He was also instrumental in helping Egypt win two African Cup of Nations titles in 2006 and 2008 and was named as Africa’s best player of the year four times in his career.
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