Egypt policeman referred to court for 'killing man over tea'

An Egyptian policeman who shot dead a vendor over the price of a cup of tea will stand trial, a prosecution official said on April 27, 2016, amid growing outrage at police abuses. By Mohamed El-Shahed (AFP/File)

Cairo (AFP) - An Egyptian policeman who shot dead a vendor over the price of a cup of tea will stand trial, a prosecution official said, amid growing outrage at police abuses.

The prosecution has referred Zeinhom Abdel-Razzek to a criminal court on charges of murder and attempted murder, the official said.

The low-ranking policeman had also wounded two passersby in the incident in a Cairo suburb on April 19.

The referral came amid a public outcry over incidents of police abuse in recent months.

In the incident's aftermath, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for police who make mistakes to "immediately" be held responsible, and he had promised to toughen laws against police abuses.

Another policeman had shot dead a driver on February 19 using his official firearm following an argument over the price of ferrying goods, setting off protests in a Cairo neighbourhood.

The policeman was convicted of killing the truck driver and sentenced to life in prison on April 2.