Habiba El-Shamaa, the victim of an alleged attempted kidnapping in a car affiliated with the popular ride-hailing app Uber, died last week after 21 days in a coma.
The 24-year-old woman reportedly jumped out of the high-speed car to escape, sustaining a brain haemorrhage that left her in a coma.
On 27 February, an investigating judge ordered a 15-day detention pending investigation for the driver.
Habiba’s mother cited eyewitness reports that her daughter had told passersby that the “Uber [driver] was about to kidnap me” before she lost consciousness.
The prosecution’s investigation, which included an interview with one of the passersby, corroborated this account.
The legal representative for Uber revealed to the prosecution that the suspect's account had previously been closed by the company due to numerous complaints against him, including for physically harassing a woman.
However, he had created another account using a different national ID number, Uber told the prosecution.
The prosecution also said that the suspect’s blood and urine tested positive for illegal drugs (hashish).
The incident has sparked public scrutiny over safety concerns in ride-hailing services.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has personally followed up on her health condition, according to her mother.
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