Misr Al-Balad News
The Miracle of an Egyptian Doctor
Saturday, March 2, 2024
By Legal Advisor: Mohanny Youssef
One of the Strangest, Most Thrilling, and Most Painful Cases
An Egyptian doctor, on the brink of death, was found alone in an unknown apartment in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, after becoming entangled in a crime from which he was completely innocent.
For seven years, the doctor hid in his apartment and contacted every entity he believed might help him, but the strange and complex nature of the case made everyone skeptical. No one believed him, and everyone turned away.
Then, by divine intervention, the doctor contacted a lawyer through a Facebook page created just two days earlier, called “Relieving the Distress of Egyptians Abroad”. It was as if this page were one of God’s soldiers sent to save him. The lawyer believed in the doctor’s innocence and fought to make his voice heard, supported by documents proving his innocence. The case eventually reached a well-known journalist, a man of deep humanity, which triggered swift action by the authorities.
The tragedy transformed into a saga of cooperation between the Egyptian and Saudi states. After ten years of isolation, the doctor returned to his family — having endured severe physical and psychological suffering, including extreme obesity (reaching 270 kg) due to fear of leaving his modest apartment. His life was nearly lost to illness — until God’s will saved him.
The Protagonist:
Dr. Hesham Mohamed — a respected Egyptian physician from a well-known family. The case started in 2012 and ended in 2024.
While working at a medical center in Dammam, Dr. Hesham received a lucrative offer from what appeared to be a prestigious international insurance company. They offered him a managerial role for the Middle East region. Trusting it was legitimate, he accepted.
Soon after signing the contract, the company — which later turned out to be an electronic bank fraud ring — conducted 8 fraudulent transactions from Saudi citizens’ accounts totaling 84,000 SAR, which were transferred to the doctor’s bank account. He had no knowledge of the victims or their accounts, and no part in the fraud.
The “company” then emailed him details of the funds and requested that he withdraw and transfer the money via Western Union to their overseas account. Believing this to be a part of his employment duties under a formal contract, the doctor complied.
First Tragedy:
Days later, the Saudi police summoned the doctor. Victims had reported the fraud, and because the stolen money had passed through his account, he was accused of complicity. His contract and evidence of communication were dismissed once the authorities confirmed it was a scam and he had been tricked into becoming part of a fraud.
Dr. Hesham, devastated, sold all his possessions in Egypt at a loss to repay the amount — but faced difficulties in transferring the funds quickly to Saudi Arabia.
Second Tragedy:
During the trial, he had a legal right to be released on bail. A legal representative (a licensed attorney at the time) promised to represent him and travel to Egypt to collect the sale proceeds. The doctor’s family handed over 84,000 SAR to the lawyer in Egypt. However, the lawyer stole the money and disappeared — leaving the doctor abandoned and accused.
Third Tragedy:
Now, with arrest warrants, travel bans, and no financial resources, Dr. Hesham went into hiding for seven years in a small apartment in Dammam. His documents expired, his weight reached 270 kg, and his health deteriorated.
The Breakthrough:
In 2019, after years of suffering, he came across a page called “Relieving the Distress of Egyptians Abroad”. He sent a plea that reached Mr. Mohanny Youssef, a lawyer and legal advisor in Saudi Arabia, who reviewed the documents and became convinced of the doctor’s innocence.
Mr. Youssef volunteered to defend him and encouraged him to surrender to the authorities, assuring him of medical care and legal support. The doctor hesitated, as his weight and expired documents made moving impossible.
The story then reached the prominent journalist Tarek Allam, who broadcast the case to the world. The Egyptian Embassy intervened, and the Saudi Human Rights Commission provided full medical care. Legal proceedings resumed, and the doctor was acquitted after ten years.
Thanks to efforts from the Saudi authorities, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, and the Egyptian Embassy, Dr. Hesham returned to Egypt on Friday, February 2, 2024 — his case a message of hope and proof that divine justice never fails.
