The Crime of Concealing Stolen Property
– A case held by our firm –
Understanding the legal consequences of hiding stolen property under Egyptian law is crucial. Hiding stolen property, whether for personal gain or to help the thief avoid detection, is a serious criminal offense. This article explains the legal rules governing hidden stolen property in Egypt and provides a case example where the defendant was found not guilty.
Egyptian law treats hiding stolen property as complicity in theft. It is important to note that a person can be held criminally responsible even if they did not participate in the theft but only hid the stolen property. This is because hiding stolen property can be seen as intentionally helping the thief avoid detection and legal consequences.
The punishment for hiding stolen property ranges from a minimum of 24 hours of jail time with labor to two years, as decided by the judge based on the crime’s severity and the accused’s involvement. Article 44 of the Egyptian Penal Code states that anyone who hides stolen property or property obtained from a crime or misdemeanor, knowing its origin, can be punished with up to two years of imprisonment with labor.
We refer to a case handled by our office in which the prosecution accused J.A. of hiding stolen property in his house. The property was stolen from a nearby store, and J.A. was suspected of being an accomplice. However, during the trial, lawyer Maher Milad Iskandar, who represented J.A., proved that the accused did not know the property was stolen. Iskandar argued that J.A. bought the property from a third party and had no reason to suspect it was stolen. The court found J.A. not guilty and acquitted him.
In conclusion, hiding stolen property is a serious crime under Egyptian law, and those involved may face harsh penalties. However, as shown in the case above, if the accused can prove they did not know the property was stolen, they may be acquitted.
If you have any questions about the legal consequences of hiding stolen property, please feel free to contact the attorneys at Andersen Egypt.
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