Egypt: ‘Friends’ kill teen by smashing his head with rock to seize his iPhone

Cairo: An Egyptian boy, working to support his family, was killed by two friends who seized his iPhone and disposed of his body in a mountainous area, local media reported.

Mohammed Hali, 16, did not return to his home in the industrial city of 10th Ramadan, about 55 kilometres from Cairo, after he finished his work at a local telecommunication office.

His family reported his absence to police, who discovered that two friends had lured the boy from his workplace allegedly to give him a lift. On the way, the two suspected, aged 21 and 19, hit him with a rock on his head and seized his iPhone worth 24,000 Egyptian pounds (Dh5,609 )

After arrest, both suspects admitted to having killed Mohammed to steal his iPhone that they later sold to a third person for LE16,000. The duo were charged with premediated murder and ordered kept in custody pending further interrogation.

The victim’s family demanded justice. “Mohammed lost his father out to death 12 years ago,” his uncle told online newspaper Al Youm Al Saba. “He was the home man and worked to help his mother. He also bought the iPhone by instalments from his wages,” he added.

“We want ... [justice by] exacting fair retribution from the criminals.”

Owning the latest and most expensive mobile phones is a craze in Egypt, mainly among teenagers.