Egyptian court suspends trial of laborer accused of posing as judge in housing scam

A trial involving a manual bricklayer accused of posing as a judge has been put on hold while a higher court considers a defense motion to replace the judicial panel.

The Ain Shams Misdemeanor Court ordered the temporary suspension in a case that includes allegations of judicial impersonation, real estate fraud and filming promotional social media videos inside a courthouse while wearing judicial sashes. The main defendant, along with alleged co-conspirators and court staff, will remain in custody during the stay.

The defendant stayed silent when confronted in court with the official referral order and the charges. His lawyers argued that he may lack mental capacity, citing what they described as unusual behavior. They requested an official psychiatric assessment. The defense pointed to his carrying judicial sashes into public cafes and hiring luxury cars with private guards, despite working as a manual bricklayer.

The investigation began after social media reports described a housing allocation scam. Authorities later arrested the suspect with an unlicensed firearm, ammunition, counterfeit judicial badges and judicial sashes. Investigators said analysis of seized phones confirmed that videos had been recorded inside court facilities with the involvement of complicit personnel.