AI Generated Image
Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in drugs case
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 others were sentenced to death by hanging for forming a criminal gang involved in procuring materials to manufacture narcotics, according to a Cairo criminal court ruling.
- The court also sentenced nine co-defendants to life imprisonment and acquitted seven others; the case involved 28 defendants and over 750kg of narcotics.
- Khalifa, known for hosting the crime show "Mission Impossible" and running businesses, denied the charges and pleaded for mercy during the trial, asserting her innocence.
- Prosecutors stated the gang imported raw materials for synthetic drugs, stored and manufactured them in residential properties, and possessed unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
- The death sentences can be appealed, with the court having consulted Egypt’s grand mufti for a religious opinion as required by law; Khalifa was also sentenced separately to three years for assaulting her driver.
