The chief executive of Sainsbury’s, Mike Coupe, has been sentenced to two years in jail by an Egyptian court, following accusations of embezzlement relating to a joint venture between the supermarket and a local businessman 14 years ago.
Sainsbury’s has refused to accept the ruling, saying that the charges relate to an “historic commercial dispute in which Mr Coupe had no involvement”, and that he “was not even employed by Sainsbury’s at the time of the original business deal in 2001 which gave rise to these legal proceedings.
The supermarket added that it was “contesting these groundless allegations.”
