Egyptian Grand Mufti Prof Dr Sheikh Ali Gouma endorsed the death sentence passed by...

Egyptian Grand Mufti Prof Dr Sheikh Ali Gouma endorsed the death sentence passed by a Cairo court on Ali Darman Agustri, an Indonesian national, for premeditated multiple murder.
"Based on Islamic law, Ali Darman Agustri has been declared guilty of committing premediated murder on four persons and therefore the death sentence is the best verdict for him," Gouma said in his statement read out by presiding judge Mustahar Ahmed Mahamed Rifaat at a court session in Cairo.
Ali Darman, 35, reportedly turned pale on hearing the grand mufti's edict.
"I submit to my fate. Please pray for me," he told reporters.
A number of Indonesians and five Indonesian embassy staffers were in the audience of the court session. They remained silent while the presding judge read out the grand mufti's ruling.
Ali Darman had been found guilty of slaying four Malaysians identified as Muhammad Zaki Ayyub, 27, Muhammad's wife Nur Hayati Bukhari, 27, their daughter Maryam, 3, and their son Muaz 11.
Muhammad's dead body was found bleeding in a guest room of his residence with many knife wounds in his body, while Nur Hayati and her two children were burned to death.
The Abbsea state court in East Cairo had sentenced Darman to death on April 6. But based on Egyptian law, every court decision must get the approval of the country's Islamic leader. The Indonesian government through its ambassador to Cairo, Prof Dr Bachtiar Aly, had earlier sent a letter to the Egyptian Islamic leader for a lighter sentence for Darman but it seemed the request was ignored.