The Shobra al-Kheima Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Sayed, known as Ousha, and his nephew to life in prison over charges of theft under duress using a ferocious animal.
According to investigations, the defendants used Ousha's dog Max to commit theft under duress, harass women and terrorize citizens.
Security forces in Qalyubiya arrested two other men on Thursday who appeared in a violent video circulated on social media, where they could be seen torturing and stabbing a dog on Al-Ahram Street in Shobra al-Kheima, after tying it to a lamp post.
The two defendants are Amr Ibrahim Atta Ibrahim, 28, who works as a butcher, and Ahmed Ezzat Abdel Mo'ty, 32. During interrogation, both defendants admitted to participating in the incident.
Eyewitnesses, as well as Ousha, said Max was killed following a fight between Ousha and other residents from Al-Ahram Street, during which the dog defended his owner and bit eight people.
Two of the men who were bitten filed a claim against Ousha, who was sentenced to one year in prison. The men refused to waive the claim unless Ousha handed them over the dog for public slaughter, which Ousha accepted.
The brutal incident angered Facebook and Twitter users, who called for the prosecution of the killers, using the "Al-Ahram Street dog" hashtag. They have also denounced the dog's owner, describing him as a traitor to his loyal dog.
During interogation, the dog killers accused Ousha of using his dog to commit theft under duress, leading to a fight as they defended a shop they owned from Ousha. The dog bit his killers during the fight, according to their testimony.
Ibrahim and Abdel Mo'ty have been referred to misdemeanor court for charges of terrorizing citizens with the use of bladed weapons. The lack of animals rights laws in Egypt prevents them from being referred to court over the slaughter of the dog.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
