Cairo Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Mohamed T., founder of the Bait Fatm foundation, to October 19. The defendant faces serious charges including human trafficking, forced molestation, and sexual harassment against four women, utilizing his official and psychological authority over the victims. Proceedings were conducted under heavy security at the courthouse.
Cairo Criminal Court Adjourns Bait Fatm Trial to October
The legal proceedings against the founder of the Bait Fatm foundation began at the 15th Cairo Criminal Court circuit. The defendant, identified in court documents as Mohamed T., appeared inside the defendant’s cage wearing the white jumpsuit reserved for pretrial detainees. Court officials reported that he kept his head bowed throughout the session, maintaining complete silence and refusing to interact with media or attendees as heavy security forces secured the courtroom.
Following the reading of the official referral order issued by the Public Prosecution, defense counsel Ali El-Halwany submitted a formal request for a publication ban across all media platforms and social networks. The defense argued that the case carries extreme sensitivity and involves the names and personal data of young women whose privacy and families must be protected from public exposure. The defense also informed the presiding judge that upcoming arguments would introduce major legal and factual surprises favoring the defendant, noting that these points were withheld during months of investigation to safeguard the privacy of the four complainants.
Defense Demands Publication Ban and Witness Testimonies
Beyond the restriction on media coverage, the legal team representing the founder put forward multiple procedural motions before the North Cairo Criminal Court, including requests to re-interrogate witnesses. These requests include summoning the head of investigations at the Qasr El Nil police station to testify regarding police reports, and calling the psychiatrist who was utilized by the Public Prosecution during investigations to evaluate the psychological state of the victims, alongside all prosecution witnesses listed in the case files.
Civil rights attorney Nesma El-Khatib, representing the victims, supported the push for a publication ban, emphasizing that protecting the victims’ reputations and private lives remains on top of priorities. El-Khatib also filed a formal civil claim against the defendant for compensation regarding the damages resulting from the crimes attributed to him, though the court decided to postpone determining the final civil claim value and details until the upcoming session. Meanwhile, the defense for the injured parties submitted the forensic medical report for the first victim.
Allegations Span Multiple Years Across Cairo Locations
Court records and investigative findings detail a pattern of alleged abuse spanning multiple years. Three of the complainants reported experiencing sexual assault in various locations—including an unlicensed headquarters of a non-profit, non-profit-oriented organization in the Garden City area—during the period from 2022 until 2025. A fourth complainant reported experiencing a sexual assault in 2017.
Statements gathered from the victims revealed that they turned to the defendant seeking support and recovery amidst social and psychological conditions dominated by domestic violence, and he exploited this condition to commit those occurrences. Additional testimony from an employee at the location of the incident indicated that the defendant was observed, at various times, dismissing him early from work or tasking him to arrive late in order to be able to commit those occurrences.
The Public Prosecution interrogated the defendant, and he admitted to committing some of the occurrences. The prosecution also examined his mobile phone and electronic devices, ordered the attachment of police investigations and the unit for combating human trafficking crimes, and ongoing investigations are completing.
Prosecution Cites Strict Confidentiality and Legal Warnings
The Public Prosecution has handled the investigation within a framework of necessary confidentiality that ensures the preservation of the privacy of the victims and witnesses and protects them, in implementation of the provision of Article 113 bis of the Code of Criminal Procedures. Authorities issued a public warning to everyone against publishing or circulating any data or information that would reveal the identity of the victims or witnesses, or enable others to recognize them, affirming that it will take the prescribed legal procedures against everyone who violates the provisions of the law. The court decided to postpone the consideration of the case to the session of October 19 next for pleading and requests.
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