Kidnapping case: Six acquitted over lack of evidence

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday acquitted six persons who were accused of looting Rs 2.7 million. The six men had earlier been awarded life in prison and orders were given to confiscate their property.

A division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarat Hilali acquitted them over a lack of evidence. An appeal had been filed by Zakir Khan, Muhammad Liaqat, Hazrat Hussain, Shafiullah, Yasir Ahmad and Gul Muhammad through their lawyer Sahibzada Asadullah. Asadullah told the bench his clients were accused of kidnapping a man identified as Asif from Badhbher and of looting Rs2.7 million from him.

He argued the police recovered Asif along with money and claimed they immediately arrested his clients. He said during interrogation, the six men confessed to committing the crime and an anti-terrorism court awarded them life in prison along confiscated of their property. “Reports of immediate arrest of my clients and recovery of the money were conflicting,” said Asadullah. He claimed the punishment was illegal and asked the bench to set his clients free. After hearing the arguments, the bench acquitted the six accused.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2015.