Out-of-court settlement: Man accused of attempting to rape child acquitted

Complainant told court he did not want to submit any evidence

ISLAMABAD: A man, who had been booked for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a nine-year-old girl, was acquitted on Saturday after he reached an out-of-court settlement with the victim’s family.

Nilore police had booked Qadeer Ahmed on attempted rape charges in July this year. According to the complaint lodged by the victim’s father*, the suspect tried to assault his daughter. He fled after the girl raised a hue and cry.

Later, police booked him for trespassing and attempted rape. During the trial however, the complainant told the Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Shahrukh Arjumand that the suspect had proven his innocence to him and said he did not want to record a statement or submit any incriminating evidence against the suspect.

The court observed that when the complainant refused to provide any incriminating evidence, the suspect was unlikely to be convicted, and hence acquitted him under Section 265-K of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2016.