London–A UK court started yesterday its investigation into the death of Ashraf Marwan, secretary to former Egyptian president Mohamed Anwar Sadat. Marwan fell from the fifth-floor balcony of his apartment in London in summer 2007.
Court sessions will continue today and last for at least three days. Testimonies of witnesses were heard, including Mona Abdel Nasser, Marwan’s widow. Abdel Nasser attended the session along with her son, four lawyers, Nisreen Mostafora, and Marwan’s housekeeper.
Most of the 20 witnesses who had been called didn’t attend the morning session and the court issued a new summons ordering them to appear. Some of the physicians who submitted technical reports were not present.
Marwan’s driver, Mario Komario, attended the session, as well as medical expert David Bolt who reviewed the autopsy. Bolt testified that no violence had been evident.
Kevin Naydaw, representing Scotland Yard, attended the session with a team of five. During the court session, British police viewed photos of a building facing the Mariott Hotel, where Marwan had been supposed to attend a meeting before his death.
During his testimony, Naydaw said he had contacted the Israeli side, without clarifying whether he meant the Israeli embassy or intelligence services. Israeli denied any relation with the issue.
Roy Campbell, the lawyer for Marwan’s family, asked Komario whether Marwan seemed to be nervous before his murder, and questioned another witness whether Marwan had requested extra security; both questions were answered in the negative.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
