Car dealer on trial for murder of Egyptian diplomat
Published: Monday, Dec 2nd 2024, 05:40
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The murder of an Egyptian diplomat in the underground garage of his Geneva apartment building in 1995 has been a mystery for years. New analyses of DNA traces and fingerprints provided a lead. On Monday, a car salesman and a woman accused of aiding and abetting the murder will have to answer for the crime before the Federal Criminal Court.
On the evening of November 13, 1995, an employee of the Egyptian mission's commercial office in Geneva was shot in the chest and abdomen with six pistol shots. In addition to the bullets and bullet casings, investigators found a silencer at the crime scene that had been made from the foam of car headrests and adhesive tape. There was a fingerprint on it.
For more than 20 years, police investigations remained unsuccessful until 2018, when a car salesman who is accused of rape and assault came to the attention of the judiciary.
The 55-year-old Italian-Ivorian citizen, who has been convicted several times in France and Switzerland, is accused by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) of firing the shots at the Egyptian. A Swiss-Italian dual national, who is suspected of having been involved in the manufacture of the silencer, is standing trial alongside him.
Client unknown
According to the scenario reconstructed by the investigators, the accused allegedly used the passing of the diplomat's car to slip through the automatic garage door. He then allegedly followed the victim and shot him with a Sig Sauer 9 mm caliber pistol.
The defendants are facing charges of murder and accessory to murder. So far, the alleged perpetrator is said to have disclosed neither his clients nor the amount of money he is said to have received.
Other offenses
The 55-year-old is also charged with rape, assault and threatening a former partner. During an argument with a third party, he allegedly said: "Next time I'll kill you like the others."
The defendant is also accused of numerous other criminal offenses. These include pornography, unauthorized recording of conversations, fraud and dishonest business management.
After the first day of the trial today, Monday, the main hearing will continue on December 9 and the following days. The verdict is scheduled for January 27, 2025.
The BA will announce the requested penalties as part of the main proceedings. (Case SK.2024.47)
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