Cairo Criminal Court has sought the non-binding opinion of Egypt's Grand Mufti on the preliminary death sentences handed to two defendants for killing a young woman during an attempted robbery in October in Cairo’s Maadi suburb.

The prosecution accused the defendants of deliberately killing Mariam Mohamed by driving over her after attempting to rob her on her way back from work.

Mariam, a 24-year-old woman, died when her head bumped into a parked car after two men driving a microbus approached her and snatched her bag, according to a statement released by the prosecution in October on the case.

As the victim was trying to cling to her bag, the two defendants ran over her with the intention of murdering her and escaped with the stolen bag. She sustained injuries that led to her death.

The defendants were found in possession of a firearm and a cold weapon, the statement pointed out.

The third defendant, the vehicle owner, has been charged with assisting the other defendants in committing the crime by providing them with his own car with the purpose of carrying out the crime.

One of the three perpetrators was found in possession of cannabis with the intention of consumption.

The incident has stirred public uproar since it was initially reported in the media as manslaughter following sexual assault, and a robbery attempt.