Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in drug case

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa has been sentenced to death for an alleged drug trafficking scheme.

Cairo's Criminal Court ordered Khalifa, 39, and 11 others to death by hanging and a fine of 500,000 Egyptian pounds, which equates to approximately $9,800, on Saturday, Sept. 5, according to state-run newspaper al-Ahram. They all have the right to appeal the verdict before the country's highest court, the Court of Cassation.

Khalifa, a popular television personality, was among 28 people charged with "forming an organized criminal group specializing in importing raw materials used in the manufacture of synthetic narcotics, to produce and traffic the drugs, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition," al-Ahram reported.

In addition to the 12 death sentences, nine were given life in prison and seven were acquitted. Two defendants remain at large.

Khalifa has denied the allegations and her attorney told BBC she will be appealing her death sentence.

Khalifa, who has 2.6 million Instagram followers, is a TV personality in the North African country known best for hosting her crime- and security-focused program "Mission Impossible," as well as cohosting a 2024 online entertainment show with musician Hamo Bika. Khalifa also owns her own beauty clinic in Egypt.

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/entertainment/