Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa reportedly broke down in tears after a Cairo court sentenced her and 11 other defendants to death by hanging in a major drug case.
Yes, this is one of those stories where the headline sounds like a movie plot, except there is nothing entertaining about the potential consequences.
According to state-linked Al-Ahram, the Cairo criminal court found the defendants guilty of forming an organized criminal gang. Prosecutors said the group specialized in procuring materials used to manufacture narcotics, allegedly with the intention of trafficking them.
The court handed down death sentences after the convictions.
Khalifa, known publicly as a television presenter, reportedly appeared emotional as the decision was delivered. The courtroom suddenly became a very different stage.
There were no cameras rolling for a TV segment, no makeup touch-ups, no commercial break. Just a life-changing court ruling.
The court also sentenced nine co-defendants to life imprisonment and acquitted seven others in a case that involved 28 defendants and more than 750kg of narcotics.
Khalifa, 39, is best known for hosting the security and crime programme “Mission Impossible”, which aired on the private Al-Mehwar TV channel.
Khalifa was also a business owner, running a cosmetic surgery clinic and an event planning company, and maintained a significant social media presence with over two million Instagram followers.
Khalifa denied the charges and told investigators she had “never smoked a cigarette in my life” and declared her innocence.
Egyptian media reported that she was weeping and crying during the session, asking the court for mercy: “Please listen to me, sir. My parents raised me well; they are people who pray, and I don’t need drug money”
The case has attracted attention partly because of Khalifa’s public profile. When someone from television becomes involved in a serious criminal case, people naturally pay attention.
But the allegations are far more serious than ordinary celebrity drama.
Prosecutors said the gang imported raw materials from abroad to manufacture synthetic drugs, storing them in residential properties. Members divided roles between procurement, manufacturing and distribution, authorities said. Investigators seized unlicensed firearms and ammunition alongside the narcotics.
The prosecution said the group used a residential property to store the materials and manufacture the drugs.
The verdict, issued after the court consulted Egypt’s grand mufti for his non-binding religious opinion as required by law in capital cases, can be appealed before the Court of Cassation. Under recent judicial reforms, defendants have two avenues of appeal, beginning with a request for retrial before an appeals court.
The case involving Khalifa and the other defendants will likely continue to attract attention as the legal process moves forward.
For now, the court has delivered its verdict.
And for the defendants, the consequences could not be more serious.
Flip to the next page for Sarah Khalifa’s thirst traps…
