Defendant accused of sexually assaulting, killing Sudanese baby in Cairo to face urgent trial on Tuesday

CAIRO – 3 May 2024: A male defendant accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering a 10-month-old Sudanese girl named Janette in Cairo's Nasr City will face an urgent trial on Tuesday, May 7.

The tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media over the past week, with both Egyptians and Sudanese users demanding justice for who they have referred to as the “diaper girl.”

On Wednesday, the Public Prosecution referred the defendant to the Criminal Court to stand trial on charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, and deliberate murder of the baby.

Deliberate murder carries the death penalty in Egypt.

According to testimonies, the defendant abducted the baby while she was playing with her sister in front of their house and took her to a nearby park, where he sexually assaulted her, as stated by the Prosecution in a statement.

When the baby's cries grew louder, he strangled her to death, according to the prosecution.

The defendant has confessed to the crime, confirming the aforementioned scenario, which has also been supported by forensic examinations, the prosecution added.

Egypt is home to millions of Sudanese people, including hundreds of thousands who have sought refuge due to the ongoing war that broke out in Sudan since April last year.

According to a report by Reliefweb in late April, Egypt has received over 460,000 Sudanese refugees amidst the ongoing conflict, joining another 4 million fellow Sudanese citizens who were already displaced there.