CAIRO - Ahmed Ezz (C) in court, along with Egypt's former tourism minister Zuheir Garranah (R), and former housing minister Ahmed al-Maghrabi (L), February 2011 Ahmed Ezz (centre) is one of a range of former senior officials to have faced trial

Ahmed Ezz, who was closely associated with former President Hosni Mubarak and his son, was sentenced to seven years in jail.

Ezz, once a prominent member of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party, was arrested in February 2011.

He is already serving a 10-year sentence for corruption.

Ezz made billions of dollars in the steel industry, but has been accused of using his political connections, particularly with Mubarak's son, Gamal, to exert monopoly control over the steel market.

Mubarak is currently serving a life sentence for failing to prevent the killing of protesters during the 18-day uprising that forced him to step down in February last year.

His sons Gamal and Alaa are in custody awaiting trial on insider trading and corruption charges.