The Cairo Criminal Court of Appeals, based in the Fifth Settlement, ruled on Thursday, 22 August, to accept the appeal of the Uber driver convicted in the case of Habiba El Shamaa.
The driver’s original 15-year prison sentence has been reduced to five years, along with a 10,000 EGP fine, and he has been cleared of the kidnapping charge.
Previously, the Cairo Criminal Court had sentenced the driver to 15 years, a 50,000 EGP fine, and the revocation of his driver’s license.
Habiba El Shamaa passed away on March 14 due to injuries sustained after she jumped from the Uber driver’s vehicle.
Investigations by the Public Prosecution revealed that the first person who encountered the victim after she jumped from the accused’s car reported that she claimed the accused had attempted to kidnap her, stating, “Uber wanted to kidnap me.”
The Uber representative testified that the accused’s account had been shut down because of many user complaints. However, he got around this by setting up a new account with a different ID number, which let him keep using the app.
The forensic report also confirmed that the accused tested positive for hashish in both blood and urine samples taken during the investigation.
Public outcry over the death of Habiba El-Shamaa has sparked calls on social media for urgent reforms in Egypt’s ride-hailing industry.
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