Egypt’s public prosecution has referred fugitive contractor Mohamed Ali to criminal trial on charges of tax evasion.

Investigations by the prosecution established that the defendant had avoided paying VAT by lying on tax records and through fake companies, according to a statement.

The prosecution said it opened the criminal investigation based on a request from the finance minister.

The request said Ali had failed to report and pay taxes on business activities by issuing invoices which falsely included sales taxes.

Ali, who now lives in Spain, has accused the government of corruption and mismanagement of funds in a series of widely circulated videos released this autumn.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has dismissed Ali’s claims, saying that his videos are based on lies and fabrications, and that his allegations aim to destabilise the trust of the people in their state institutions at a time when the government is working to overcome economic challenges and is fighting terrorism.