Egyptian high-profile lawyer Ashraf Nabil to defend Naira Ashraf’s convicted killer in court

An Egyptian high-profile lawyer has been hired to represent, Mohamed Adel, who stabbed to death his classmate, 21-year-old Naira Ashraf, last month outside Mansoura university campus in daylight for repeatedly rejecting his marriage proposals, partisan Al-Wafd newspaper reported online.

Ashraf Nabil received a power of attorney signed by Adel to be the only lawyer entitled to represent him before the court of cassation, the report added.

Nabil told local journalists that it took 45 days of negotiations to cut a deal. He has received 3 million EGP (around $US156,000) as fees, rejecting to work pro bono or receive payment transferred from abroad.

Unconfirmed news indicated that an unnamed rich family will pay the fees.

Nabil could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing.

Adel received a death sentence by hanging almost two weeks after the incident in the fastest trial in Egypt's history.

The case shocked Egypt and the wider region, bringing the issue of femicide and violence against women to the spotlight once again. A similar murder happened in Jordan shortly afterwards.

Similar femicide cases have occurred in Egypt since.  

Last month, retired controversial lawyer Farid El-Deeb declared he would defend Adel, also before the court of cassation, saying he made this decision after he had received requests by "samaritans from Egypt and Greece" who pledged to pay for the lawyer's multi-million-Egyptian-pound-fees.

It remains unclear whether El-Deeb will still represent Adel.