Death penalty upheld in Wajeeha Swati case

LHC dismisses appeal of man convicted of US citizen's killing over property dispute

RAWALPINDI:

A division bench of the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court dismissed the appeal of Rizwan Habib, convicted of brutally murdering his former wife, US citizen Wajeeha Swati, over possession of valuable property and other assets worth around Rs1 billion in Morgah, Rawalpindi, and upheld his death sentence.

The court observed that the former husband had murdered his ex-wife in an extremely brutal manner and that complete evidence was available against him. The bench ruled that he was not entitled to any concession and should be hanged till death. Following the verdict, the convict was shifted to the death cell at Adiala Jail.

According to details, Rizwan Habib had contracted a second marriage with Wajeeha Swati by luring her with promises of a profitable business venture. A few months later, their relations deteriorated and the US citizen obtained divorce.

Taking advantage of her stay in the United States, the accused allegedly occupied her four-kanal bungalow in Morgah and started transferring other plots in his name.

When the former wife approached courts against him, the accused allegedly called her back to Pakistan on the pretext of a reconciliation agreement and returning all her property. However, upon her return in October 2021, he murdered her the same night.

Her body was wrapped in a carpet and transported from Rawalpindi to Kohat, where it was buried in a pit dug in the courtyard of a house.

The accused later spread reports that the woman had gone missing and even filed a petition seeking her recovery. During an investigation by the Morgah police, he confessed to the murder after three months, leading to the recovery of the decomposed body from a village in Kohat.

Both Pakistani and US forensic laboratories confirmed the identity of the body as Wajeeha Swati.

A sessions court had awarded him the death sentence last year, but the High Court ordered a retrial on merit. Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka again awarded the death sentence, which was challenged in the High Court.

The appeal was dismissed by the Rawalpindi bench.

The High Court observed that the convict had committed a heinous crime and the death sentence was justified.