Egypt puts former auditor on trial for exposing corruption

FILE -- In this Tuesday, April 16, 2014 file photo, Hesham Genena, then head of Egypt's oversight body, poses for a portrait in front of pictures of his predecessors at his office in Cairo, Egypt. Genena, Egypt’s former top auditor, who exposed massive corruption in the country has gone on trial on charges that include spreading “false news.” Genena, himself a former judge, has appeared before the Cairo Criminal Court Tuesday, May 7, 2016 but reporters were barred from the hearings. Charges against him also include “disturbing” the country’s security. Last December, Genena went public, saying that corruption is costing the country billions of dollars. He was later dismissed by the Egyptian president. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File) (The Associated Press)

In this Tuesday, April 16, 2014 photo, Hesham Genena, then head of Egypt's oversight body, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at his office in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt’s former top auditor, who exposed massive corruption in the country has gone on trial on charges that include spreading “false news.” Genena, himself a former judge, has appeared before the Cairo Criminal Court Tuesday, May 7, 2016 but reporters were barred from the hearings. Charges against him also include “disturbing” the country’s security. Last December, Genena went public, saying that corruption is costing the country billions of dollars. He was later dismissed by the Egyptian president. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE -- In this Tuesday, April 16, 2014 file photo, Hesham Genena, then head of Egypt's oversight body, holds documents at his office in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt’s former top auditor, who exposed massive corruption in the country has gone on trial on charges that include spreading “false news.” Genena, himself a former judge, has appeared before the Cairo Criminal Court Tuesday, May 7, 2016 but reporters were barred from the hearings. Charges against him also include “disturbing” the country’s security. Last December, Genena went public, saying that corruption is costing the country billions of dollars. He was later dismissed by the Egyptian president. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File) (The Associated Press)

Egypt's former top auditor who exposed massive corruption in the country has gone on trial on charges that include spreading "false news."

Hisham Genena, himself a former judge, has appeared before the Cairo Criminal Court but reporters were barred from the hearings. Charges against him also include "disturbing" the country's security.

During Tuesday's brief session, Genena's lawyers asked for an adjournment in order to have more time to study the case.

Last December, Genena went public, saying that corruption is costing the country billions of dollars. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi later dismissed him, capping a series of measures critics say were aimed at sacking the chief auditor after speaking up against corruption.

Genena was detained for a day earlier in June but released after his family paid bail.