20000303

Four accused

awarded life

term in murder,

kidnapping case

KARACHI: Four accused of a murder and kidnapping case were condemned for life by Judge Arshad Noor Khan of Anti-Terrorism Court-III for Karachi division on Thursday.

The ATC Judge announcing the judgement held the accused Javed, Abdul Raoof, Imran and Siraj guilty of murdering eight-year-old girl Ayesha in the jurisdiction of PS Azizabad.

The court awarded life sentence to all the accused, along with a fine of Rs 0.1 million each or in default of its payment to undergo a further sentence of one year's imprisonment.

The accused were also awarded a seven-year term each for kidnapping the girl.

According to the prosecution, on December 13, 1999, the accused lured the girl to the flat of one of the accused and confined her there. They later demanded Rs 30,000 as ransom from the family of the abductee. The victim was, however, strangulated to death by the accused on December 14. Her body was found from an under-construction building in the vicinity.

The accused were rounded up on December 16 by the SHO, Azizabad PS, Ghazanfar Kazmi.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Haq Nawaz Baloch appeared for the state, while the complainant was represented by Mehmood Alam Rizvi advocate. A senior counsel, Khawaja Naveed Ahmed represented the accused.

SPP Haq Nawaz Baloch talking to the reporters in the court after announcement of verdict said that state will go into appeal for the enhancement of sentence.ÑAPP