Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ratified on Thursday an amended criminal law, extending the statute of limitations for bribery and embezzlement.

The cabinet approved the draft law in December 2014 after a court dismissed profiteering charges against Egypt's former autocrat Hosni Mubarak over a statute of limitations.

According to the new amendment, the statute of limitations for bribery starts the moment the state employee committing the crime is removed from post rather than right after the crime is committed.

El-Sisi holds legislative powers in the absence of parliament, after elections which were initially scheduled for March have been postponed after a court ordered parts of a law regulating the poll unconstitutional.

Mubarak, along with his two sons Alaa and Gamal, were accused of abusing power and embezzling of public funds by receiving villas in a Red Sea resort from exiled businessman Hussein(can't find other name). A Cairo court last November cleared them on the basis that the case had expired.

In response to the verdict, El-Sisi mandated a legislative committee to amend the criminal procedures law. Some experts though said the amendment cannot be applied retroactively.