Magdi Ahmed Mahmoud Mahmoud Rifai
Magdi was preparing for his wedding a few days before his death. He was a hard-working young man in his 30s—he was an upholsterer. He lived with his father, his stepmother, and stepsiblings after his parents have separated. His father says of him: “He was a hard worker, very successful in business, and was very protective of his sisters.” He had just finished major preparations for his new apartment for him and his bride. They had been engaged for 5 years.
His father tells the story of his son’s murder: “He went to work on the Friday of Anger. He had to go because he did not have the luxury to spend time on anything other than earning a living. After he finished work, he found most of his friends on the street, as was all of Egypt on the street. After midnight, he and his friends were standing near the Montazah police station in Alexandria, then suddenly the police began shooting bullets and one of the bullets hit Majdi.”
“I was at home at around 2 am”, continues his father, “Suddenly, my neighbors and Magdi’s friends came to my house to ask me to bring my identification papers because Magdi was injured and in the hospital. So I went down to the hospital. When I arrived, one of Magdi’s friends took me to the morgue to see my son’s body.”
Magdi’s father could not bear the shock and he lost consciousness. When he came to he was surrounded by all of his children except his eldest son, Magdi. In the next hours, Magdi body’s was on his way to his grave.
The hospital’s first autopsy report stated that the cause of death was a sudden drop in blood pressure, however, Magdi’s father and friends rejected the hospital’s first autopsy. The hospital later issued another one stated that that the cause of death was a gunshot on his right side of his chest.
Magdi’s father ends the story: “I cannot believe what happened! Majdi was preparing his apartment for his wedding. Hisfiancée waited for him for full five years just for that day! His grieving mother was extremely affected. Her diabetes got so bad after Magdi’s murder, the doctors had to cut two of her fingers off. Killing Magdi has destroyed the whole family.”