An Egyptian Judge, Ayman Hajjaj, has been sentenced to death for killing his wife, a popular journalist and TV presenter named Shaimaa Gamal.
An Egyptian court gave the verdict on Tuesday, August 16, in what is one of the most high-profile murder cases in the country in recent months, Middle East Eye reports.
The public prosecutor’s office had said last month that Hajjaj was charged with the “premeditated murder” of his wife, along with his accomplice, businessman Hussein al-Gharabli.
According to EgyptWatch, Hajjaj had reported his wife missing and claimed she had disappeared from a shopping mall on October 16.
A few days later, al-Gharabli went to the Public Prosecution, claiming a close relationship with the justice, and gave information that the judge was involved in the murder of his wife, confirming he witnessed the murder and knew where her body was buried.
The Public Prosecution obtained permission from the State Council to act against Hajjaj and began the investigation to find the wife’s body following the al-Gharabli’s account. Hajjaj disappeared, but the police managed to arrest him.
Gamal’s body was later found in a remote villa in June, nearly three weeks after her husband had reported her missing.
The next court hearing, when the approval of the Grand Mufti is expected to be announced, is set for September 11.