The Supreme State Security prosecution decided on Saturday evening to refer a high-ranking judge to the Alexandria Criminal Court over charges of obtaining a financial bribe to acquit a defendant accused in a drug trade case, the state-run agency MENA reported.

The judge and five other defendants are awaiting the completion of the investigation. Three of the defendants stand accused of bribery, while the other two defendants are being investigated for mediating the bribe.

The judge would have reportedly received EGP 650,000 to secure the release of a defendant in the aforementioned drug case. The prosecution authorities arrested the judge and the other defendants while they were meeting to finalise the bribe.

According to MENA, the arrested judge received EGP 250,000 during the meeting, which was held in a coffee shop in Alexandria.