Cairo Criminal Court acquitted Captain Wael Madgy Erfan of the Sharabiya police department, north of Cairo, of killing demonstrators on 28 January 2011, the day that witnessed the most violent confrontations between police and protesters during the 18-day uprising that led to President Mubarak’s ouster last year.
The family of the officer were jubilant while relatives of the victims were absent from the trial.
The officer’s lawyer brought up contradictions in the witnesses’ accounts, claiming that the attack on the police department sought to free convicts.
Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud referred Erfan to Cairo Criminal Court after investigations proved that he used his firearm outside the police department.
Mahmoud appealed late February against the acquittals of police officers from the Salam and Sayeda Zeinab police departments in Cairo on similar charges.
More than 800 people were killed during the uprising in January and February 2011, many outside of police departments.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
