Two jailed for life in gang-rape case

By Ishaq Tanoli

KARACHI: A sessions court on Monday sentenced two men to life imprisonment in a gang-rape case.

The court found Shahrukh Ali and Naveed Ali guilty of subjecting a woman to a sexual assault within the remit of the Khokhrapar police station in March 2008.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (east) Munawar Sultana pronounced her verdict after recording testimonies and final arguments from both sides.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 each and in case of default, the convicts would have to undergo an additional three-month imprisonment.

The court also found both the accused guilty of kidnapping the rape victim and another woman and sentenced them to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs5,000 each.However, both sentences would run concurrently. The court also extended the benefit of Section 382-B (period of detention to be considered while awarding sentence of imprisonment) of the criminal procedure code to the convicts.

The court in its verdict observed that the prosecution had successfully proved its case against both the accused persons by producing ample evidence in court.

It added that the victim/complainant had testified against the accused in her evidence and her account was corroborated by other prosecution witnesses as well as the medical evidence.

According to the prosecution, the accused had kidnapped two women on March 1, 2008 in Khokhrapar area and took them to a house where they raped one of the captives and made their video. They warned the women not to disclose the incident.

However a case (FIR 26/2008) was registered against the accused under Sections 376-B (punishment for gang-rape) and 365 (kidnapping with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of one of the victims. The police arrested both the accused on March 8, 2008.

In his final arguments, the public prosecutor, Mohammad Younus, argued that the victims and other prosecution witnesses had testified against the accused in the case and their statements were supported by the medical evidence.

He said that the prosecution had proved its case against accused men beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt and sought capital punishment.

However, the defence counsel contended that the accused were falsely implicated in the case and there were material contradictions in the statements of the witnesses, adding that the prosecution had failed to establish its case and prayed to the court to acquit his clients.

The convicts were produced in court in custody on Monday and were remanded back to prison along with their conviction warrants to serve out the remainder of their sentence.

Rapist gets 10 years in prison

Another sessions court (east) on Monday sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for raping a seven-year-old girl.

Annar Khan was accused of sexually abusing the minor girl in June 2007 within the remit of the Ferozabad police station.

The judge, Rana Zaki Shamsi, also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 and in case of non-payment, the convict would have to undergo an additional six-month imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the accused took the girl to his house on June 28, 2007 where he subjected her to a sexual assault.

A case (FIR 296/07) was registered against the accused under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s father. The accused was arrested a day after the incident.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/15/2009