A district's authority Bulldozer demolishing a restaurant in Cairo's Nozha district during a raid on unlicensed cafes and restaurants, Tuesday 7 February (Photo: Facebook)
Security forces have closed 24 unlicensed cafes during raids in the districts of Agouza, Mohandiseen and Faisal, in Greater Cairo's Giza governorate, days after a young man was killed at a popular Heliopolis district restaurant over an argument about his bill.
The police raids followed posts on several social media platforms accusing authorities in those districts of receiving bribes to allow some unlicensed cafes and restaurants to operate.
On Tuesday, police raided a number of unlicensed outdoor cafes in Cairo’s El-Nozha district -- the area where Sunday's murder took place.
Sources told Ahram Online that initial investigations into the murder showed the 24-year old victim Mahmoud Bayoumi was hit during a row with the owner of Keif restaurant over his cheque, after the latter ordered that the doors of the restaurant be closed and customers be barred from exiting until the two had settled the bill.
Bayoumi, a recent graduate with a business degree, died of his injuries on Sunday. He was buried in his hometown of Mansoura.
Prosecutors on Monday ordered a waiter at the restaurant detained for four days pending investigations, after charging him with killing Bayoumi.
The restaurant owner and two other employees were also arrested and are in police custody.
The fight occurred after the conclusion of the African Cup of Nations final, which was being broadcast in the café Sunday night.
The murder of the young man, who had been watching the football match with his fiancée, prompted outcries on social media against unlicensed cafes and the minimum charge policies illegally imposed at many of them.
Some unlicensed cafes and restaurants have also been accused of hiring thugs to deal with customers who refuse to comply with such policies.
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