Lebanese star Nancy Ajram's husband, Fadi El Hachem, was detained on Sunday for fatally shooting a burglar who broke into the couple's house in Lebanon's Kesrouane.
Though El Hachem will be kept in custody until Tuesday morning - when he is set to stand before investigating Judge Nicolas Mansour - judicial officials have allowed him to be transferred to Al Hayat Hospital due to the dire mental state he's in.
The robbery attempt, filmed on CCTV cameras located inside the property, unfolded in the early hours of the morning on Sunday as the couple and their three daughters slept in their bedrooms. The footage - which was made public and is circulating online - captures the robber as he scanned the house for valuables to steal after breaking in via a balcony.
Now identified as Syrian 30-year-old Mohamed Hassan al-Mousa, it remains unclear how the robber managed to surpass two security men tasked with guarding the house. In the online video of the CCTV footage capturing the incident, El Hachem can be heard narrating how it went down and up to the point when he shot the housebreaker.
The deceased robber is said to have entered the gated property at a time when a break-in alarm was turned off. He then waited on a balcony until he was able to make his move. The noises the burglar made as he attempted to steal money alerted El Hachem, who woke up from his sleep and walked in on him.
The CCTV clip clearly shows the father-of-three picking up a chair in an attempt to fend off al-Mousa, who then wages what appears to be a handgun at him. Ajram's husband explained that the man then threatened him, saying "Don't force me to hurt you."
"He asked me for money, I gave him some from my jacket. He then asked me where the jewelry was and ordered me to call my wife over. This is when security men who Nancy had called came in and started looking for him. He also threatened them with the gun and they backed away," El Hachem said while narrating the CCTV footage.
The dentist explained that as he ran to pick up a firearm he keeps in the house, the guards told him the burglar was heading towards the children's bedroom.
"I completely lost it and rushed towards him kamikaze [sic], I wanted to tear him into pieces even if he shot me. I approached him and we came face to face. He pulled his weapon up towards me and I just shot him," he explained.
A shaken Ajram spoke about the robbery attempt
Local news reporters visited Ajram's house in the wake of the incident and got brief statements from the star, who was left with a minor foot injury caused by fragments of bullets shot during the robbery attempt.
"I would like to thank all those who have asked about my family. My kids are fine. I will not say anything more at this time," the shaken star said in a statement to MTV Lebanon.
The star's manager, Jiji Lamara, spoke out about the burglary on several local and Egyptian TV programs.
Speaking to Lamees El Hadidi on her show Al Qahera Al Aan, Lamara explained that further investigations will be held to identify how the thief broke in despite the fact that several security men were guarding Ajram's home.
When asked about El Hachem's legal status, the manager added that "as per Lebanon's laws, he is expected to face no charges in the case as it's a clear incident of self-defense."
"Fadi was going to get him all the jewelry and everything he asked for when the thief headed towards the bedroom where his three daughters were sleeping. Any other father would've done the same thing, nothing is more important to a human being than his children," Lamara stated.
This point of view was reiterated by Ajram and El Hachem's legal representative, Gaby Germanos. As investigations into the case continue, the shocking news of the robbery and subsequent attack is still making the rounds online.
Some attacked El Hachem for killing the robber
"Why did he kill him? If it weren't for poverty and desperation he wouldn't have gone into the house. They could've given him money instead of killing him."