Shock As Popular TV Host Sarah Khalifa, 11 Others Receive Death Sentence In Drug Case

An Egyptian court has sentenced popular television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death following their conviction over alleged involvement in the production and trafficking of narcotics.

Khalifa, 39, is a prominent television personality and presenter of Mission Impossible, a programme known for its focus on security and crime-related issues.

According to reports from Egyptian media, a Cairo court found Khalifa and the other defendants guilty of forming an organised criminal group allegedly involved in obtaining materials used to manufacture synthetic drugs for distribution.

The defendants were also convicted of possessing and transporting unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The court issued the capital punishment verdict after referring the case to Egypt’s Grand Mufti for a religious opinion, a procedure required under Egyptian law in death penalty cases. However, the judgment remains subject to appeal.

Reports indicate that the defendants were accused of manufacturing synthetic narcotics for trafficking after allegedly importing materials required for their production from outside Egypt.

Authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilogrammes of narcotics and raw materials during investigations into the case. Investigators also uncovered two apartments allegedly converted into laboratories for producing drugs, as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Khalifa, who reportedly owns a plastic surgery clinic and a production company involved in organising parties and events, was also handed a separate five-year prison sentence alongside other defendants in another case involving the alleged kidnapping and assault of a young man.

Egyptian law permits the death penalty for a number of serious offences, including premeditated murder, terrorism, certain rape offences and drug trafficking.

Data from the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms indicated that 541 death sentences were handed down by Egyptian courts in 2025.

According to legal analysts, the latest verdict is not necessarily the final outcome of the case, as the defendants retain the right to challenge the judgment through the applicable appeal process.