SC rejects convict plea in rape-cum-murder case

Co-accused’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment

LAHORE:

The Supreme Court rejected appeal against death sentence of accused in Rimsha murder case. Shariat Appellate bench led by Justice Mushir Alam heard appeals against death sentence of Rimsha murder accused in the Supreme Court.

During the hearing, the lawyer of the accused took the position that when the body was thrown in a sack in the street, nearby people had gathered. “However, none of those present testified.”

The lawyer of the accused argued that there was no evidence against the accused on which Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin said that the statements of the witnesses brought by the convict also go against them. “Whoever has a minor daughter killed after being raped, why he would make a false accusation against someone” Such serious offenders cannot be released on technical grounds.

Are there not such crimes being committed against children in our society?”

Justice Qazi further said that even in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, one of the accused was under 18 years of age. “The co-accused could not be sentenced to death as he was 16 years old.” The court rejected the appeal of accused Shaaban and upheld the death sentence while the co-accused Qaiser's death sentence was changed to life imprisonment due to him being a minor.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2020.