Detention of collector charged in public opinion case renewed

CAIRO - 31 October 2019: The Appellant Judge at Tanta Misdemeanors Court approved the Public Prosecution’s request to renew the detention of the Alexandria-Luxor Train collector Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Hamam for 15 days pending investigation.

Hamam is charged with compelling two passengers to jump off a moving train for not purchasing tickets. The suspect had been interrogated for two days by Chief of Tanta Prosecution Counselor Mohamed al-Feqy, who ordered Hamam’s detention for four days pending investigation after the incident was confirmed.

Investigations proved that the collector had compelled both passengers to jump off while the train was passing through Al Dafra Station in Gharbeia’s Tanta. The incident incurred the death of Mohamed Eid, and the injury of Ahmed Samir.

On the other hand, the collector denied he had forced them to jump, saying he unlocked the door to check why the train slowed down so they jumped off in fear of getting arrested for not purchasing tickets.

Samir told Egypt Today that he had jumped first and waited for his friend to catch up but he did not show up. After a few minutes, he asked a worker to borrow his phone to call his friend as he did not have one but the worker refused. Hence, he left the station and headed to a gas station where a customer gave him his phone. Someone picked up and informed him that his friend was dead. Samir walked a long distance to the place where the body was found and retrieved his friend’s phone, watch, and key holder.

Investigation into 'compelling' 2 men out of moving train begins

CAIRO - 29 October 2019: Videos of passengers on a train talking about two young men who were allegedly compelled to jump off went viral on social media on Monday as one of them died. The young men boarded the train from Alexandria without buying tickets so they had to either pay the value of the tickets and fines or get arrested.