Sarah Khalifa Death Sentence: TV Producer Sentenced to Hang in Drug Trial
A Cairo Criminal Court sentenced prominent television producer and presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 co-defendants to death by hanging on Saturday in a high-profile narcotics case involving 28 total defendants. The sweeping legal proceedings targeted an organized criminal network accused of importing raw materials, manufacturing synthetic drugs, and distributing narcotics across Egypt.
The sprawling 28-person trial concluded with nine defendants receiving life imprisonment and seven others being acquitted alongside the 12 capital sentences. Investigators alleged that Khalifa provided operational funding for the syndicate and traveled abroad to meet two fugitive leaders, coordinating activities between network members. Prosecutors stated the group also faced charges of possessing firearms and ammunition without licenses.
Prior to issuing the capital punishments, the court referred the case files of the defendants facing the death penalty to Egypt‘s Grand Mufti for a mandatory religious opinion, a required legal step in the country’s criminal procedure. Authorities seized more than 750 kilograms of synthetic drugs and associated manufacturing materials, alongside specialized equipment used in production during the multi-agency investigation.
