Judge’s wife gets bail in housemaid torture case

A District and Sessions Court in Islamabad on Monday granted bail to civil judge’s wife, who allegedly tortured and abused minor housemaid Rizwana.

Last month, Rizwana was brought to the District Headquarters Hospital in Sargodha in critical condition reportedly with wounds on her face, head and body that were said to have been caused by a “blunt weapon”. The girl also bore burn marks on her body.

She was later shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Lahore General Hospital, with doctors fearing for the teen’s life.

The case made headlines nationwide after images of the bruised and battered girl, said to be 14 years old, went viral in the last week of July. In the aftermath of the incident, it was revealed that she was employed at the residence of a civil judge, with the girl’s parents saying that she had named the judge’s wife, Somia Asim, as her abuser.

During the proceedings today, Additional District and Session Judge Mohammad Haroon approved the bail, ordering the accused to submit bond of Rs100,000.

Read more: Maid torture case: Maryam demands strict action against accused

Somia had been in judicial remand at Adiala Jail pending her bail application. Her request for bail had been previously rejected by the court.

Harrowing details

Police sources, earlier, told The Express Tribune that Rizwana had provided a heart-wrenching account of the abuse she endured. The victim reportedly disclosed that the judge's wife was the main perpetrator, subjecting her to physical and emotional torment on a daily basis.

Rizwana's statement unveils a chilling pattern of abuse that paints a grim picture of her life within the judge's household. She reportedly detailed instances of being beaten with sticks, kicked, and slapped by the judge's wife in fits of anger.

Also read: Child maid dies of ‘torture’

The abuse allegedly escalated to the point where she was frequently locked in a room for several days, left hungry and isolated from the outside world. Rizwana claimed that she was not even allowed to meet her own parents during her time of servitude.

One particularly distressing revelation is that Rizwana's attempts to communicate with her parents were closely monitored by the judge's wife. Even during phone calls, the judge's wife was present, preventing the young girl from sharing the true extent of her suffering with her family.

Rizwana's testimony further highlights the dire conditions she endured, as she allegedly stated that her wounds resulting from the abuse were left untreated and unbandaged.