SHC admits appeal of wife’s killer

Overturns life term for lack of evidence

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday admitted the appeal of a murder convict overturning the life sentence handed to him four years ago.

The Justice KK Agha-led single bench of the SHC delivered the verdict on the appeal of Muhammad Hafeez against his conviction in the murder of his wife, Faiqa Fatima. The court overturned the previous sentence of life imprisonment, stating that the evidence did not substantiate the charge against the accused.

The verdict highlighted concerns about due process, noting that the trial court failed to provide the accused with opportunities to defend himself at various stages. Moreover, it was pointed out that Nazra Khatoon, the deceased's mother, did not permit the post-mortem examination.

According to prosecutors, Hafeez had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019 by the trial court. He was convicted of setting his wife, Faiqa Fatima, on fire. The case was registered in 2016 at the Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan police station on a complaint of his mother-in-law, Nazra Khatoon.

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Death penalty converted to life imprisonment

Meanwhile, after a retrial, the model court of district east has sentenced a man to life in jail after convicting him of a murder in front of police. The court also imposed a Rs1million fine on the accused named Sohail for killing Munawar.

The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the motive behind the murder, leading to a modification in the sentence.

According to court records, the accused had filed an application in the Sindh High Court for the recovery of his wife and children. Following the court's order, Sohail, accompanied by police, reached Munawar's residence. There, he pulled out his pistol and fatally shot Munawar, who later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Four eyewitnesses testified against the accused during the trial. Initially, the model court had handed down the death penalty to Sohail in 2021. However, the accused appealed this decision in the SHC, leading to the annulment of the sentence.

In May 2023, the SHC referred the case back to the sessions court for a reconsideration of the accused's appeal. The police report indicates that the incident occurred in January 2018, and a case was registered at the New Town police station on the government's complaint.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2024.