A counsel for the co-accused in the sexual assault case of a boy and girl involving Usman Mirza has said that the retraction of the victims from their statement was uncalled for and the judiciary cannot be ridiculed in such a manner.
When Additional Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani heard the case, co-accused Bilal Marwat’s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat said that they were neither part of any deal nor want to take advantage of the boy and girl's statement. There is no case against us on merit. Therefore, we would like to be given benefits on merit and acquitted of the case.
The lawyer said that the amount of extortion money allegedly recovered from the co-accused did not even match the number of notes in the record nor it was recorded in a camera. He said that two people were stated to be standing at the door on the day of the incident, until this day it was not known who the other person was.
Read: State to pursue prosecution in Usman Mirza case, says parliamentary secy for law
He said that those who have done identity parades say that they have not carried out the identity parade at all. He said that his client was not even named in the case until the identity parade was done.
The lawyer completed the final arguments.
On the other hand, the main accused Usman Mirza has filed a written petition against the ill-treatment of a jail official. In the plea, Usman Mirza said that constable Safdar uses foul language against him. The constable posted in the jail also appeared in the court and denied the allegations.
Usman Mirza said that everything would become palpable if CCTV footage of the jail was sought by the court. Addressing the official, the judge said that there were lots of complaints against jail officials and when will “you mend your ways”.
The court directed the Adiala jail superintendent to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2022.
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