Arab Pop Idol judge's husband charged after shooting dead a masked intruder

Publish date: 2024-05-05

The husband of a Lebanese superstar shot a masked home intruder brandishing a fake gun to death in chilling CCTV footage.

Fadi El-Hachem - the dentist husband of former-Arab Idol judge Nancy Ajram - shot Syrian Mohammed Hassan al-Moussa 16 times during the break-in north of Beirut. 

El-Hachem has been charged with 'intentional killing, but in legitimate self-defence' following the shooting in January.

Security footage shows a hooded al-Moussa - wearing a black mask over the lower half of his face - crouching as he walks within the luxury property's grounds.

Once inside the house, al-Moussa is seen surveying a room with a large Christmas tree before slowly creeping through the house.

The couple's three daughters - aged 11, nine and one -  were inside the property at the time. 

Fadi El-Hachem - the dentist husband of former-Arab Idol judge Nancy Ajram (pictured together) - has been charged by police after shooting a masked intruder after he broke into their family home with a fake gun Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram

Fadi El-Hachem (left with Nancy Ajram) - the dentist husband of former-Arab Idol judge Nancy Ajram (right) - has been charged by police after shooting a masked intruder after he broke into their family home with a fake gun

CCTV footage shows El-Hachem pursuing al-Moussa into another room (pictured)  before a bright flash of light is seen as he fires his gun

CCTV footage shows El-Hachem pursuing al-Moussa into another room (pictured)  before a bright flash of light is seen as he fires his gun

When al-Moussa notices someone rounding a corner he quickly pulls out a gun. The man grabs an item - believed to be a piece of furniture - to shield himself and tries to get away.

But al-Moussa forces the man to stay glued to the spot by keeping his gun pointed straight at him. 

The footage then shows three men - one of whom is understood to be El-Hachem - entering the room from the left.

al-Moussa emerges from the back and keeps his gun pointed at the men as he scurries along a back wall.

El-Hachem pursues al-Moussa into another room and a bright flash of light is seen as he fires his gun.  

al-Moussa's family claim he was a gardener who worked for the couple and had gone to the house to ask for money he was due.

A masked al-Moussa is seen surveying a room inside the house. The couple's three daughters - aged 11, nine and one - were inside the property at the time

A masked al-Moussa is seen surveying a room inside the house. The couple's three daughters - aged 11, nine and one - were inside the property at the time

The footage shows three men - one of whom is understood to be El-Hachem - entering the room from the left

The footage shows three men - one of whom is understood to be El-Hachem - entering the room from the left

Security footage showed a masked gunman apparently breaking into their home while the couple's three daughters - aged 11, nine and one (pictured) - were inside

Security footage showed a masked gunman apparently breaking into their home while the couple's three daughters - aged 11, nine and one (pictured) - were inside

Armed El-Hachem shot the intruder 16 times during a struggle. It was later found that al-Moussa's gun was fake.

El-Hachem is unlikely to face the 20-year maximum sentence usually imposed in murder cases due to al-Moussa's death being in self defence.

Both 37-year-old Ms Ajram and al-Moussa's family have gone on television to talk about what happened, The Times reports.

Ms Ajram - who claims her family did not know al-Moussa - hid in the bathroom once they realised someone had broken in.

She insisted that El-Hachem shot al-Moussa to protect the couple's young children and said in an interview: 'Before anything, Fadi is a father and a husband. He is a human being.'

El-Hachem (right, pictured with his family) has been charged with 'intentional killing, but in legitimate self-defence' following the shooting in January

El-Hachem (right, pictured with his family) has been charged with 'intentional killing, but in legitimate self-defence' following the shooting in January

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Share Armed El-Hachem (pictured with Ms Ajram) shot the intruder 16 times during a struggle. It was later found that al-Moussa's gun was fake

Armed El-Hachem (pictured with Ms Ajram) shot the intruder 16 times during a struggle. It was later found that al-Moussa's gun was fake

Both 37-year-old Ms Ajram (pictured) and al-Moussa's family have gone on television to talk about what happened

Both 37-year-old Ms Ajram (pictured) and al-Moussa's family have gone on television to talk about what happened

Ms Ajram is the face of several top brands in the Arab world after rising to prominence as a teenage singer.

The shooting of al-Moussa drew significant interest in the country, with many commenting on his Syrian nationality.

More than one million Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war are currently in Lebanon. 

Ms Ajram - who claims the family (pictured) did not know al-Moussa - hid in the bathroom once they realised someone had broken in

Ms Ajram - who claims the family (pictured) did not know al-Moussa - hid in the bathroom once they realised someone had broken in

Ms Ajram (pictured) is the face of several top brands in the Arab world after rising to prominence as a teenage singer

Ms Ajram (pictured) is the face of several top brands in the Arab world after rising to prominence as a teenage singer

Many work as non-contracted labourers and are open to exploitation due to work permits being notoriously hard to come by.

The number of Syrian people currently residing in Lebanon is a subject of contention for some.

Most refugees are Sunni Muslim which some of Lebanon's Shia and Christian population fear could compromise the country's religious balance.

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