Egyptian arrested in Suzan Tamim murder case

Dubai police on Sunday announced the arrest of an Arab man behind the gruesome killing of Lebanese singing sensation Suzan Tamim.

“We have identified the murderer and he has been arrested in another Arab country,” Maj. Gen. Khamis Mazeina, Deputy Chief of Dubai police, said on Sunday.

However, the suspect was not named. But sources said the suspect was an Egyptian and he has been detained in his home country.

Tamim was found dead on July 28 at her flat in the Jumeirah Beach Residence’s Rimal Tower 1.

The murder took place on the 22nd floor flat (Number 2204) of the tower.

“We knew him five hours after crime was discovered. We’re working under the Arab League protocols and we’re expecting to get him extradited soon,” said Mazeina.

The official gave scant details in a press conference on Sunday except to say that the suspect was arrested a “few days ago” by authorities of that country.

While the murder proved to be almost perfect, the suspect made “some mistakes in carrying out his crime” which led to his identification, said the official, who declined to elaborate.

“We think from the evidence that within 12 minutes, it (murder) was all over,” said the officer, who said they did not find the murder weapon. Within an hour-and-a-half following the crime, the suspect flew out of Dubai.

REVENGE

“It’s clear the motive behind the crime is pure revenge, the way the murder was carried out,” said Mazeina. “We have our evidence which was forwarded to authorities in that country,” said Mazeina. “We thank them for being very helpful.”

Police also said contrary to media reports, Tamim did not go out with friends the night before the murder took place.

Police said records show Tamim flew to Dubai from London 10 days before the murder took place. The suspect arrived eight days later.

It emerged from the police investigation that on the day of Tamim’s murder, the suspect flashed the logo of a real estate company in the keyhole which made Tamim open the door.

Mazeina said that while the suspect’s face was unclear in the tower’s CCTV videos, footages show a man holding an envelope with the logo of the real estate company that brokered the sale of Tamim’s JBR flat.

The flat was in Tamim’s name but the Egyptian media said an Egyptian businessman allegedly paid for the apartment.

TOWER MURDER

Mazeina said the 39-year-old suspect wore two layers of clothes when he carried out the grisly murder. The suspect dumped the clothes he was wearing during the crime into the fire safety box on the tower’s 21st floor before leaving the building. He fled to the Dubai Airport and fled the country by a flight at 10.30am, Mazeina said without identifying the airline.

The police control room received a call at 8.15pm on July 28 from Tamim’s cousin, a Lebanese man, who found her dead with multiple stab wounds.

The cousin had been calling her since that Monday morning but the calls went unanswered.

When the cousin went to her flat to check on her, he discovered Tamim’s body just behind the main door with her throat slit.

On the day of the murder, Tamim was supposed to show up for driving lessons at 9am, and she had booked a taxi by phone.

Dubai Taxi records show a taxi driver came to the JBR Rimal Tower 1, called Tamim repeatedly, but left when the phone was not picked up.

EGYPTIAN CONNECTION

Meanwhile, Egyptian media have reported that Tamim’s death is the handiwork of an Egyptian businessman.

Following the arrest and confession of the alleged murderer-for-hire, Arab TV channels and newspapers have identified a real estate magnate as the brain behind the crime.

Egyptian media reports said police questioned the Egyptian on Sunday in connection with Tamim’s murder. H has denied the accusations.

Reports quoted Egyptian police sources who said the suspect admitted he was working in the Egyptian’s company and that he “pushed” him to kill Tamim in Dubai.


Time Line

• July 26: The Egyptian suspect came to Dubai and stayed in a hotel.
• July 28: The suspect entered Tamim’s building before 9am and went to her apartment 2204 with a knife. The CCTV footage showed him holding an envelope in front of the door’s peep hole.
• July 28: Suzan Tamim was found dead by her cousin at 8.15pm.