CAIRO, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court sentenced on Wednesday a policeman to 25 years in prison for shooting dead a street tea vendor in eastern New Cairo suburb of Rehab, official MENA news agency reported.
The case dates back to mid-April when non-commissioned policeman Al-Sayyid Zeinhom quarrelled with a street tea boy over the price of a cup of tea, according to the Interior Ministry's statement then. It added the policeman opened fire, killing the vendor and injuring two passers-by.
The Egyptian police face criticism over claims of torture and death of detainees at police stations and alleged abuses and violations.
Earlier in April, another policeman was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing a rickshaw driver in a dispute over fare.
In response to such incidents, Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar recurrently stressed that "Egypt is a state of law and there is no one in Egypt above the law."
