Cairo: An Egyptian court has sentenced 12 people, including TV host Sarah Khalifa, to death in a drug manufacturing and smuggling case. The defendants were accused of being part of an organized network involved in producing narcotics and distributing them to the market.
According to Arab media, Sarah Khalifa denied the drug-related charges in court; however, the judge found all defendants guilty and handed down the death sentences based on available evidence.
During the trial, authorities informed the court that investigations led to the seizure of over 750 kilograms of illegal drugs, along with a large quantity of raw materials used for drug production.
According to Egypt’s state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram, the defendants were linked to a criminal syndicate that imported raw materials from abroad to manufacture and sell narcotics. Illegal weapons and ammunition were also recovered during the crackdown.
The prosecution presented statements from 20 witnesses before the court. The judicial record also included electronic evidence, consisting of recorded conversations and video clips exchanged among the defendants.
Despite the court’s ruling, Sarah Khalifa and the other convicts retain the legal right to appeal the verdict.
