The magistrate – who was able to speak in language that can only be described as steno-ready speak and was ready with all the documents he needed – provided an account of the identification parade.
The accused in the case, Mohammad Javed, is facing charges of kidnapping, common intent and violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The case, dating to 2010, was filed against him by the Memon Goth police station and the Anti-Violent Crimes Cell.
The magistrate told the court that he had ordered the identification parade based on the application of the investigating officer, Inspector Chaudhry Manzoor. “The accused was produced in the courtroom,” the magistrate told the court. “The accused sat in the chamber of the judge, where he couldn’t see anyone.”
Two witnesses were made to sit in an office away from the chamber. “With the assistance of the court staff, seven ‘dummies’ were arranged who looked similar to the accused,” he recalled. “The accused was appraised with the facts, and given the liberty to stand in the row of ‘dummies’.”
The witnesses were then called in the courtroom one by one to identify the accused. One witness identified him by “placing his hand on his shoulder” while another recalled him from the site of the kidnapping. The magistrate then prepared a memo of the identification parade.
The defence counsel cross- examined the witness and asked whether these ‘dummies’ were of the same age and ethnicity as the accused. The court will next hear the case on July 18.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2012.
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