Region | Egypt
Egyptian tycoon denies ordering death of Suzan Tamim
Egyptian billionaire writes to Cairo newspaper of jealous conspiracy against him.
- AP
- Published: 14:55 September 20, 2008
- Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim was found dead in her apartment in Dubai in July.
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
Cairo: A powerful Egyptian business tycoon with close ties to President Hosni Mubarak has denied he hired a killer to slay a Lebanese pop singer in Dubai, according to a letter published on Saturday in a leading pro-government newspaper.
Hesham Tala'at Mustafa spoke out for the first time since his arrest earlier this month on charges alleging he hired a former Egyptian police officer for $2 million (Dh7.35 million) to kill former girlfriend, Suzan Tamim, who was found stabbed to death in her apartment in July.
Mustafa, a lawmaker and top ruling party member, said in the letter published in Akbhar Al Youm that he is innocent and accused "enemies of success" of fabricating the case against him.
"Knives have been sharpened, tearing at my flesh," Mustafa wrote in the letter from behind bars at one of Egypt's largest prisons.
"These lies will not be able to move the great pyramids I have constructed in the Egyptian economy," wrote Mustafa, who is the founder of the construction and real estate company, Tala'at Mustafa Group or TMG Holding. His brother took over as CEO since his arrest on September 2.
Well-connected
Mustafa, whose trial is set to open on October 18, did not specify exactly who he thought was behind his arrest.
"In the midst of all my work, I didn't realise that success has enemies," he wrote. "God's generosity provoked the envy and antagonism around me."
Susan's murder caught millions of Egyptians and Arabs across the region by surprise, not only due to the alleged involvement of the real estate mogul and well-connected businessman in a murder case, but in the mere arrest of those known for so long as the untouchables.
When Mustafa's name first appeared in media reports weeks before his arrest, he denied any role and complained on Egyptian television that the rumours hurt the economy. The government promptly banned press reports on the murder, suggesting that Mustafa was off-limits.
Mustafa, who is close to Mubarak's son, Jamal, is one of Egypt's top billionaires, the owner of luxury hotels and beach resorts and a leading force in building Western-style suburbs ringing Cairo for the upper-class.
His defence attorney, Fareed Al Deeb, said in an interview with the same newspaper that the case had "many breaches" including the absence of a strong motive.
"Hesham loved Suzan," Al Deeb said about his client, who is already married and has three children. "He would have married her except for his family's objection."
Alleged withdrawal
His conservative family objected to him taking a pop singer as another wife.
Under Islam, a man can marry up to four wives, though the practice is not very common in Egypt.
Local papers have suggested that Mustafa ordered Susan's death after she allegedly withdrew $30 million from his bank accounts, something his lawyer has denied.
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