The New Cairo Public Prosecution has decided to refer the Uber driver accused of attempting to kidnap Habiba al-Shamaa to the Criminal Court.
Shamaa, 23, died on March 14 after jumping out of the car to escape the driver and succumbing to a coma.
Dozens of the victim’s family, relatives and friends buried her body in the family cemetery in Al-Wafaa wal-Amal in Nasr City, Cairo last Friday, following the funeral prayer at the Police Mosque in the Fifth Settlement.
The Ministry of Interior said in an official statement that after investigations, it was found that the Shorouk Police Station in Cairo Security Directorate received a report from a hospital that the victim, who lives in the First Gathering Police Station District, had been admitted with head injuries and was unable to be questioned.
A witness to the incident, who lives in the district of the police station, stated that while he was driving on the Suez Road, he saw the victim jumping from the back door of a car that she was riding in while it was moving.
He stopped to help her, and she told him that she was riding in an Uber when the driver tried to “flirt” with her and spray perfume, which prompted her to jump out of the car to escape.
The victim was taken to hospital and security services later arrested the suspect, who was found to have a criminal record.
During interrogation, the driver stated that when he closed the windows of the car and sprayed air freshener, Shamaa suddenly jumped out of the car.
He continued driving and did not stop out of fear of being accused of the accident.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
