Our high school prom, scheduled for last night, was cancelled. If you have been reading the news during the past few days concerning Egypt, you may have read about a major criminal trial in Cairo. The verdict came in on Wednesday and it affects not only the nation as a whole but our little school personally.
The case involves a very wealthy man who was changed with hiring a “hit” man to murder a well-known entertainer in Dubai with whom he had been romantically involved with. The man has had children attend our school as well as numerous nephews. He headed a real estate conglomerate, was a member of the upper house of Parliament and had close ties to the family of President Hosni Mubarak. He was part of the most elite strata of Egyptian society, one that Egyptians have long assumed to operate beyond the reach of the law.
However, Egyptians have been growing increasingly frustrated with two scales of justice, one for the poor and one for the rich. And there was pressure from Dubai, which was unwilling to let a murderer walk, no matter how rich and connected. The investigation proceeded and both the “hit” man and the businessman were arrested, charged and tried for the crime. Perhaps due to pressure from the United Arab Emirates and others, the current government felt the costs would be too high if they attempted to intervene in the proceedings although the court proceedings were held behind closed doors.
In the Egyptian courts, the verdict for the crime and sentence (if guilty) are both handed down at the same time. Both the “hit” man and the businessman were found guilty and sentenced to be executed on June 25th. The businessman claims that he is a victim of jealously for his success. There will be an appeal but as of now, the execution is scheduled to take place on June 25th, one week after graduation.
