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Cairo: A businessman and lawmaker from Egypt's ruling party has been charged with involvement in the killing of Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim in Dubai, Egypt's Prosecutor-General said on Tuesday.
Abdul Majid Mahmoud ordered that Hesham Tala'at Mustafa, chairman of one of Egypt's biggest construction companies, go on trial after a suspected killer claimed in investigations that Mustafa had paid $2 million to have Tamim murdered.
Tamim, 30, was found dead in a Jumeirah Beach Residence apartment in Dubai on July 28. Weeks ago, Egyptian authorities arrested a former Egyptian police officer and two hotel security personnel, who had reportedly confessed to having killed Tamim on behalf of an Egyptian businessman.
A statement released on Tuesday by the Prosecutor-General's office said Egypt had pursued investigations into the case upon request from authorities in the UAE, with which Egypt has a judicial cooperation pact. "The Prosecutor-General has ordered that the defendants be banned from leaving the country," added the statement.
Mustafa is a member of Parliament and a leading official in the ruling National Democratic Party. Mahmoud said he had been probed after notifying parliament.
Mustafa is also chairman of Tala'at Moustafa Group, one of the biggest companies in the booming real estate sector in Egypt.
His brother Tareq took over the chairmanship on Tuesday. The indictment said Mustafa, who is in custody, "took part through incitement, agreement and assistance with the first defendant in killing the victim in revenge".
Dubai Police said the 31-year-old singer was stabbed several times and had her throat slit several hours before her body was discovered.
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