Egyptian criminal court asks Grand Mufti to comment on provisional death sentence against serial killer – JURIST

The Egyptian Criminal Court has referred the case of Karim Salim, the notorious serial killer of “al-Tagamoa”, to the Grand Mufti to confirm the provisional death sentence against him. The decision was made on Saturday under Article 2-381 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the final verdict is expected to be announced on September 12.

Salim, a 37-year-old graduate of the American University in Cairo, holds dual citizenship of Egypt and the United States. He was previously a teacher and then moved into commerce. In addition, he gained attention with his popular TikTok account “Fonix,” which has over 600,000 followers. On this platform, he shared educational content and lessons on various topics, with a special focus on English. He was found guilty on several counts of premeditated murder, sexual assault, necrophilia, and human trafficking in connection with the murder of three sex workers in Greater New Cairo. The autopsy reports suggest that the three women were killed by the same person, as they all bore similar signs of torture, including strangulation and whipping wounds. Other evidence against Salim included a fingerprint on the clothing of one of the women and laboratory tests that revealed the presence of narcotics, specifically crystal meth, in her body.

Salim's trial, which began in June, was marked by dramatic moments, including the withdrawal of Salim's first lawyer. Throughout the proceedings, Salim denied the charges and retracted confessions he made after his arrest. Despite his denials, the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence against him, including incriminating videos showing Salim performing necrophilic acts with the victims' bodies.

The case will now be submitted to Egypt's Grand Mufti, the country's highest religious authority, who will review the provisional death sentence as required by Egyptian law. The Mufti's opinion is not legally binding, but it is a crucial procedural step before the final verdict can be made.