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Adventures in the Archives (5): a murder case from 1863

The following is a homicide case adjudicated by Majlis al-Ahkam in 1280 AH / 1863 CE

 

You can download it as a pdf here: Ibrahim al Saidi qisas case

And the following is a transcription:

١. مضبطة صورتها مجلس بني سويف كان أرسل للأحكام قرار وأوراق بإفادة رقم ٢٦ صفر سنة ٨٠ نمرة ١٣٢ تبين منهم أن شيخ ناحية القضابي بمديرية المنيا المسما

٢. علي عبد الهادي توجه في يوم ١٥ محرم سنة ٨٠ للمديرية مع أشخاص حاملين نفر مقتول يدعى قمح حسن من الناحية المذكورة وقرر بأنه كان بمنزله في ظهر ذاك اليوم

٣. ولما سمع عن قتل النفر المذكور وأن القاتل له إبراهيم الصعيدي المقيم بإبعادية سعادة خليل باشا فبالحال توجه وجد المقتول بجوار سكن ناحية عزبة الشقر

٤. والقاتل مضبوط وصحبتهما كل من عبد الله حسن أخ المقتول وأحمد مكاوي من غفرة ناحية القضابي ولدى الكشف عليه بمعرفة حكيم قسم الفشن بحضور

٥. من لزم وجد به جرح وخذي في الجهة المقدمة من أسفل العنق ناشئ عن نفوذ سكين متجها بالعرض ساقا للجلد واللحم والقصبة

٦. الريوية أي الزور وقاطع الوريد الوارحي اليمنى وبقطع الوريد المذكور قد انسكب الدم من القلب إلى الخارج وهذا هو سبب وفاته وبإجرآ التحقيق

٧. عنذلك قد أجيب من عبد الله حسن أخ المقتول بأنه كان توجه بالبقرة تعلقه إلى طاحونة بالجزيرة لأجل أن يطحن فيها فوجد القاتل المذكور ببقرته وحرمتي 

٨. آخرين أحدتهن معها بقرتها بقصد الطحين عليها وإذ ذاك كانت الطاحونة دايرة على طحين شخص شرقاوي ولما أنه في أثنا ذلك انطلقت بهيمة

٩. القاتل مع بهيمة الحرمة المار ذكرها وتوجهوا المذكورين خلفهما وفي تلك المسافة انتهى طحين الشرقاوي فوضع عبد الله المذكور القلال بعلقة بالطاحونة

١٠. ودور عليها بهيمته وبحضور القاتل المذكور تشاجر معه من أجل ذلك فقد تركه وتوجه الجزيرة وبعودته هو وأحمد مكاوي الغفير والمقتول أيضا بقصد ضبط 

١١. وشكواه نظرا لما حصل منه من التطاول فسحب عليهم سكينة وضرب بها المقتول في زوره ومات بسبب ذلك وباسجواب المدعا عليه بما اقتضى فأجاب معترفا

١٢. بأنه لما حصلت المشاجرة كما سلف الذكر فما كان من عبد الله المذكور وأحمد مكاوي إلا أنهما هجموا عليه وكلا منهما كان معه بندقية ونبوت وأحدهما عبد الل 

١٣. ضربه ببندقية ولم تصبه فضبطها منه ثم ضربه ثانيا بالنبوت وأن قمح المذكور حضر أيضا ومسك في أكتافه والزعبوط ملبوسه فمن مضايقته منه ضربه بمطوة

١٤. كانت معه في زوره ومات لوقته وأورى بأن المطوة المذكورة وقعت منه بالبحر وعبد الله حسن ما كان يصادق عليما نسب إليه من قبل ضربه بالبندقية

١٥. والنبوت وأنه ما كان معه شيئ من ذلك وبالرد على القاتل المذكور بما لزم فصمم على قوله الأول وأنه أخذهم منهم وسلمهم إلي حنفي شيخ عزبة الشقر وأنه لم

١٦. يكن معه ثبوت على حصول ضرب عبد الله المذكور فيه بتلك البندقية ثم ولمناسبة عدم وجود حنفي المذكور قي سئل من الأشخاص الذين كانوا حاضرين الواقعة

١٧. وأجيب منهم على أنه بوقت ضبط إبراهيم المذكور ما وجد معه بندقية ولا نبوت وتبين عدم وجود سوابق للقاتل المذكور ثم وبرؤية الدعوى شرعا لدى قاضي

١٨. بني سويف فلإقراره بحصول القتل منه عمدا صدر منه إعلام شرعي رقم ٢٨ محرم سنة ٨٠ بالحكم عليه بالقصاص وبعد التصديق عليه من مفتى المجلس المرقوم عطي

١٩. منه القرار بأنه ما دام ثبت على إبراهيم الصعيدي المذكور القتل بإقراره فاستصوب تنفيذ ما حكم به عليه شرعا ولما أن صار إحالة رؤية الإعلام بطرف

٢٠. مفتي الأحكام وأجاب بأن القصاص من القاتل يكون بطلب أولياء الدم وهم لم يسئلوا فيذلك كما وأنه لم يتضح من التحقيق حصول تحري للمرسي على محل وجود

٢١. الأسلحة المار ذكرها ولا استجواب أحمد مكاوي ولا شيخ عزبة الشقر المقال عن غيابه قد تحرر لذاك المجلس بما يلزم للوقوف على حقيقتما ذكر والآن

٢٢ وردت منه الإفادة رقم ٢٩ جماد أول سنة ٨٠ نمرة ٦٣ تشتمل على أنه باستجواب الورثا بحضور القاضي عنما أشار به حضرة مفتي الأحكام فأجابوا بطلب القصاص

٢٣. كما وأنه باستجواب العمدة المحكي عنه وأحمد مكاوي الغفير أجابوا بما يفيد تكذيب القاتل المذكور فيما قاله من قبل تلك الأسلحة وأنه ما وجد بوقتها شيء منذلك

٢٤. لا معه ولا مع أخ المقتول وتورى مع أحدهما أحمد مكاوي بأنه وإنكان غفير لكن  لا لزوم له في حمل البندقية وقتها بما أنه كان بيجمع أنفار لعملية الترعة

٢٥. ولهذا لم يخرج التحقيق ولا الحكم عن مركزه الأصلي وبإعادة رؤية الإعلام بحضرة مفتي الأحكام فصدق عليما فيه

٢٦. وبالمذاكرة عنذلك بالأحكام

٢٧. روي بأنه ما دام ثبت شرعا على إبراهيم الصعيدي المذكور قتل قمح حسن المرقوم كاعترافه بذلك وصدر عنه إعلام شرعي بالحكم بالقصاص كطلب الورثة وتصدق

٢٨. عليه من حضرة مفتي الأحكام فما رآه مجلس بني سويف من الحكم على الشخص المرقوم بالقصاص كما حكم به شرعا فهذا في محله ندامة له وعبرة لغيرة وهذا

٢٩ كما وافق واستقر عليه الرأي

٣٠-٣٤ أعضا

You can download a pdf of the transcription here: Ibrahim al Saidi qisas case-transcription

And this is an english translation:

(1) Copy of proceedings of the Council of Beni Suef. The judges dispatched a verdict and documentation containing testimony dated 26 Safar, ’80, #132, in which it is stated that the chief of the neighborhood al-Qadabi in Minya Directorate, (2) named ‘Ali ‘Abd al-Hadi, went on 15 Muharram, ’80, to the Directorate with people who were carrying a dead man called Qamh Hasan, of the aforementioned neighborhood. He [the Sheikh al-Hara] affirmed that he was at his house at noon of that day (3) and when he heard of the killing of the aforementioned man and that his murderer was Ibrahim al-Sa’idi, who was living on the estate of His Excellency Khalil Pasha, he immediately went and found the victim in the vicinity of the houses of al-Shaqar plantation, (4) and the murderer had been arrested. With the two of them were ‘Abdallah Hasan, the brother of the victim, and Ahmad Mekawy, from the ? of al-Qadabi.

When the examination of [the victim] was conducted by the doctor of al-Fashn Police Department in the presence of (5) the necessary individuals, a wound was discovered on his front side running from the bottom of his neck, resulting from the penetration of a knife cutting crosswise into his skin, flesh, and (6) trachea, i.e. throat, as well as the severing of the right jugular vein. When the aforementioned victim’s jugular was cut, blood poured out from the heart, and this was the reason for his death.

(7) During the investigation into the matter, it was reported by ‘Abdallah Hasan, the victim’s brother, that he was going with his ox to a mill on the island in order to grind [flour] there. He encountered the aforementioned murderer with his ox and two other women, (8) one of whom had her ox with her intending to grind the flour with it. At that moment, the mill was grinding the wheat of someone named Sharqawi, and when he was in the midst of doing this, (9) the murderer’s ox and that of the aforementioned woman ran off. The people ran off after them, and while they were doing that, Sharqawi’s milling finished and ‘Abdallah put a little [wheat] (?) into the mill. (10) He looked for his ox and in the presence of the murderer he fought with him over it. Then he left him and went to the island. When he [‘Abdallah] returned, (11) this time with Ahmad Mekawy the watchman and the [future] victim, intending to arrest [Ibrahim], and he assailed them, [the murderer] drew a knife on them and struck the victim with it in his throat, and he died because of this.

When the defendant was interrogated as required, he claimed (12) that when the altercation occurred as previously stated, ‘Abdallah and Ahmad Mekawy had attacked him, and each of them had a gun and bludgeon. One of them, ‘Abdallah, (13) struck him with a gun and it did not [kill?] him, so he seized [the gun] from him and hit him again with the bludgeon. Qamh the aforementioned also came and took him by the shoulders and by the za’buthe was wearing, and out of anger [Ibrahim] struck him in the throat with a knife (14) that he had with him, and he died right away.  He clarified that he dropped the aforementioned knife in the sea. ‘Abdallah Hasan would not agree to that with which he was charged, that is striking him with the gun (15) and bludgeon, and said he had nothing of the kind on his person. In response to the aforementioned murderer, he persisted with his initial statement.

He [the Sheikh al-Hara?] took them and brought them before Hanafi, Sheikh of the al-Shaqar plantation. (16) Moreover, there was no proof of ‘Abdallah striking him with that gun. Then, in the absence of Hanafi the aforementioned at the questioning of the witnesses, (17) they agreed that when Ibrahim the aforementioned was arrested, he did not have a gun or bludgeon.

Noting the fact that the killer had no prior crimes, and upon legal consideration of the claim by the judge of (18) Beni Suef, he confessed that the murder had been committed with intent and a legal notice was issued on 28 Muharram, ’80. After he [the perpetrator] had been sentenced to qisaspunishment, and the aforementioned mufti of the Cairo Council had certified it, (19) A verdict was issued stating that so long as the murder had been proven to have been committed by Ibrahim al-Sa’idi, by his own admission. Thus it was necessary to implement the verdict according to the law.

When the notice of the verdict was reviewed by the(20) mufti, he announced that it was up to the next of kin to seek qisaspunishment of the murderer, and that they had not requested it. Moreover, the investigation had had not confirmed the location (21) of the weapons previously noted, nor the interrogation of Ahmad Mekawy or the sheikh of the al-Shaqar plantation, whose absence was noted. Thus, the Council took the necessary steps to obtain the truth.

Now, (22) deposition dated 29 Jumada I, ’80, #63 has been received from the Council, containing the information that upon interrogation of the heirs in the presence of the aforementioned judge, the mufti, they [the heirs] demanded qisas. (23) Moreover, when the mayor [sheikh el-hara] and Ahmad Mekawy the watchman were questioned, they proved that the murderer was lying in what he said about the weapons, (24) and none were found on him [Ahmad] or on the victim’s brother. It was also clarified regarding Ahmad Mekawy that although he was a watchman, there was no reason for him to carry a gun at that time since he was gathering men to build the irrigation canal.

(25) Thus, neither the investigation nor the verdict did not differ from the original given, and after a second review by the mufti, he certified it.

(26) Upon deliberation in the Council, (27) it was determined that there was legal proof that Ibrahim al-Sa’idi the aforementioned had killed Qamh Hasan by his own admission, and the Council issued a legal notice of its sentence of qisasas the heirs had requested. (28) This was approved by His Honor the Mufti. What the Council of Beni Suef determined regarding the sentencing of the aforementioned individual to qisaswas according to the law. This should bring him to regret his actions and serve as a lesson to others. (29) This is what was agreed upon.

(30) [Members]

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