Witnesses in singer's murder case to testify today
The trial of two men for the murder of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim in Dubai continued in Egypt's criminal court yesterday.
Egyptian tycoon Hesham Talaat Moustafa, a member of parliament for the ruling National Democratic Party in Egypt, is accused of paying former policeman, Muhsen el-Sukkari, $2 million to stab the star to death in her luxury Jumeirah Beach Residence apartment in July.
The court yesterday reviewed evidence of the case including the handbag which allegedly carried the payment and which bore Moustafa's first two initials. Other evidence show included a gun and clothes that el-Sukkari allegedly wore at the crime scene.
Moustafa and el-Sukkari, who sat in separate barred areas during yesterday's court proceedings, both deny any involvement in Tamim's murder.
The hearing continues today with witnesses due to be heard. Last week Egyptian newspapers published transcripts of phone conversations and text messages between the two defendants that contained damming evidence the two men had conspired to kill Tamim.
The prosecution claims that Moustafa's motive for ordering the star's slaughter was revenge - he is widely reported to have been a former lover of Tamim.
The prosecution also contends that el-Sukkari killed Tamim, 30, after tricking her into opening the door of her luxury apartment by posing as a representative of the building owners.
She was stabbed several times and her throat was cut.
El-Sukkari was caught on security camera entering and leaving the building around the time of her death.
Although the crime occurred in the UAE, the Egyptian judiciary is trying the case because Egyptian law does not allow the extradition of Egyptian citizens to face trial in other countries.
© 7Days 2008
