Cairo prosecution referred on Sunday a policeman to criminal trial over charges of killing a driver, following a fare dispute, an incident that sparked high anti-police sentiment in Cairo’s al-Darb al-Ahmar district.
Mostafa Abdel Hakim is facing charges of shooting Mohamed(Darbaka)Ismail dead last Thursday.
The officer told investigators he owned a shoe store in Omraneya, Giza, and was in Darb al-Ahmar to purchase merchandise for his business. He said he agreed with Darbaka to transport the cargo for him before both had a dispute over the fare.
According to the officer, Darbaka unloaded the goods again in defiance, to which he threatened him with his gun before a bullet went out accidently.
Darbaka’s friends and family had, however, said the officer shot the victim after the latter objected to his profanities.
The incident had prompted Darabaka’s friends and family to angrily protest outside the Cairo Security Directorate, to which security leaderships responded with visiting his family and assuring accountability for the officer.
Following the incident, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged the Interior Ministry to change police regulations to prevent further violations by its personnel against civilians.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
