(AFP File Photo /GIANLUIGI GUERCIA)
South Cairo Criminal Court postponed on Sunday the Nile City towers clashes case to 29 January 2014. A verdict is expected to be issued during the session.
State-owned Al-Ahram reported that Sunday’s session took place in the Non-commissioned Police officers Academy in Tora.
Four of 51 defendants are being tried for murder while other charges include rioting, vandalism, “thuggery”, violence, resisting authorities and the possession of illegal weapons during the clashes that took place on 2 August 2012 on the premises of the Nile City towers in Cairo.
Amr Al-Bunni, from Ramlet Boulaq, a poor district behind the Nile City Towers, was allegedly shot and killed by the tourist police.
Al-Bunni had shown up at the towers to demand a salary that was reportedly owed to him for his job as a Nile Towers security guard. When personnel at the towers refused, a brawl between him and the towers’ personnel broke out, which reportedly led to his death. The Ministry of Interior announced that Al-Bunni used light weapons against the personnel.
Upon hearing of the shooting, his family and neighbours came to the towers and destroyed the glass doors at the front of the building. The interior and emergency doors to the towers were sealed off until Central Security Forces arrived to disperse the crowd.
Ten cars and several motorcycles were burned in the Nile City Towers’ parking lot during the clashes.
