A horrific crime occurred in Sheikh Ismail village, part of the Akhmim district in Sohag, Upper Egypt, where a mentally and physically disabled girl was tragically killed by her uncle and his wife. They planned to slaughter her as a sacrifice to locate a treasure based on the orders of a sorcerer.
An security source revealed details of the gruesome incident, stating that law enforcement received a report from the mother of the 10-year-old girl, Shaimaa, who suffers from brain atrophy. She reported that after leaving home to run errands, she returned to find her child missing.
The source, in a statement to Sky News Arabia, mentioned that a security team was formed to accompany the mother to the crime scene. As they proceeded with the investigation and inspected the complainant's house and nearby residences, they made a shocking discovery: the girl's body was found in poor condition in a room adjoining her uncle's house.
The child’s body was retrieved from underneath a pile of sand, fully clothed, with a scarf wrapped around her neck indicating that she had been strangled.
A search team was established under the leadership of Major General Alaa Selim, Assistant Minister of Interior for Public Security, who devised a plan to unveil the incident's mystery.
The investigation revealed that the crime was committed by "Ahmed H," a 39-year-old tuk-tuk driver (the victim's uncle), and his 27-year-old housewife, "Noura M," both residing in the same area. The suspects were apprehended, and during questioning, they confessed to the crime in detail. The first suspect had allegedly conspired with others (who are still being identified and arrested) to bring a girl to slaughter, believing it would help them in uncovering the treasure.
The suspect took advantage of the absence of the victim's mother, who had left the home, while the child's father, a carpenter, was working in a nearby village. He sent his wife to retrieve the victim from her home and hid her in his residence, preparing to contact those involved in the planned sacrifice. When he sensed the arrival of police to investigate the mother’s report, fearing exposure, he strangled her with a scarf and buried her.
Intensive efforts are underway by security agencies in Sohag to identify and apprehend the individuals who conspired with the child’s uncle, as well as the sorcerer who had convinced him to commit the act for the sake of treasure retrieval.
The public prosecution has been notified and has ordered the transfer of the body to the Akhmim Central Hospital morgue. A report numbered 3375 has been filed at Akhmim Police Station for the year 2021, and the public prosecution has begun investigations.
Additionally, the public prosecution in Akhmim, under the supervision of the chief prosecutor for Southern Sohag, has decided to detain the tuk-tuk driver and his wife for four days after three days of interrogation, during which they reenacted the murder of Shaimaa.
