Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in drugs case

Cairo tribunal sentences TV big Sarah Khalifa and 11 others to decease implicit cause trafficking ring.

A tribunal successful Egypt has sentenced tv presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 different radical to decease by hanging aft convicting them of cause charges.

The Cairo transgression tribunal issued the decease sentences aft the defendants were recovered blameworthy of forming an organised transgression pack specialising successful procuring materials utilized successful manufacturing narcotics, with the intent to postulation them, the state-linked Al-Ahram outlet reported connected Saturday.

The tribunal besides sentenced 9 co-defendants to beingness imprisonment and acquitted 7 others successful a lawsuit that progressive 28 defendants and much than 750kg of narcotics.

Khalifa, 39, is champion known for hosting the information and transgression programme “Mission Impossible”, which aired connected the backstage Al-Mehwar TV channel.

Khalifa was besides a concern owner, moving a cosmetic country session and an lawsuit readying company, and maintained a important societal media beingness with implicit 2 cardinal Instagram followers.

Khalifa denied the charges and told investigators she had “never smoked a cigaret successful my life” and declared her innocence.

Egyptian media reported that she was weeping and crying during the session, asking the tribunal for mercy: “Please perceive to me, sir. My parents raised maine well; they are radical who pray, and I don’t request cause money”

Prosecutors said the pack imported earthy materials from overseas to manufacture synthetic drugs, storing them successful residential properties. Members divided roles betwixt procurement, manufacturing and distribution, authorities said. Investigators seized unlicensed firearms and ammunition alongside the narcotics.

The prosecution said the radical utilized a residential spot to store the materials and manufacture the drugs.

The verdict, issued aft the tribunal consulted Egypt’s expansive mufti for his non-binding spiritual sentiment arsenic required by instrumentality successful superior cases, tin beryllium appealed earlier the Court of Cassation. Under caller judicial reforms, defendants person 2 avenues of appeal, opening with a petition for retrial earlier an appeals court.

Khalifa was arrested successful April 2025 arsenic portion of the investigation. In a abstracted lawsuit connected Saturday, the aforesaid tribunal sentenced her to 3 years successful situation for assaulting and filming her driver.

Egypt imposes the decease punishment for cause trafficking, coercion and premeditated murder.