Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death
Egyptian TV presenter and producer Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants have been sentenced to death by hanging by a Cairo Criminal Court in a major synthetic-drugs case.
The verdict, delivered on Saturday, September 5, followed the court’s consultation with Egypt’s Grand Mufti, whose opinion is required in capital cases. The defendants were convicted of forming an organised criminal group involved in obtaining materials used to manufacture and traffic synthetic drugs, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Prosecutors said investigators seized more than 750kg of synthetic drugs and raw materials, along with equipment allegedly used in production. Khalifa, 39, is known for presenting Mission Impossible, a programme focused on security and crime.
The case involved 28 defendants. Nine received life sentences, while seven were acquitted. Khalifa and the other convicted defendants have the right to appeal.