CAIRO: The trial of real estate mogul Hisham Talaat Moustafa and former police officer Mohsen El-Sokkary is set for Oct. 18, announced a Cairo court on Thursday. The Cairo Criminal Court, headed by El-Mohamady Qonsowa, will review charges against the defendants in the murder of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim in Dubai on July 28. Evidence submitted to the court by Egypt's prosecutor general's office reportedly include El-Sokkary's confession of executing the murder upon orders from Moustafa. It also includes recordings of conversations between the two which were revealed by El-Sokkary. Evidence collected by the Dubai police, including El -Sokkary's blood-stained clothes found near the murder scene, will also be admitted. The two were referred to court on Sept. 2. Moustafa was arrested and charged with ordering the brutal killing of the Lebanese singer. Former police officer El Sokkary was charged with killing Tamim in return for $2 million paid by Moustafa. The prosecutor general banned both defendants from travel after Moustafa, who is a member of the Shoura Council (Upper House of Parliament) was stripped of the legal immunity he enjoys as a member. Moustafa is also a member of the ruling National Democratic Party. Before the arrest, shares of Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG), a multi-billion pound real estate developer, led the Egyptian Stock Exchange down. Following Moustafa's arrest, the company appointed his elder brother Tarek as chairman, to reassure investors, the company said. Hatem Nassar, communications consultant at the group, said the new chairman was the head of the housing committee at the People's Assembly. "He has a very good reputation, and this should reassure people, Nassar told Reuters.
