Verdict out: ATC jails two kidnappers for 10 years

They were accused of kidnapping 15-year-old Muhammad Ahmed and demanding Rs500,000 for his release.


Our Correspondent December 04, 2013
They were accused of kidnapping 15-year-old Muhammad Ahmed and demanding Rs500,000 for his release. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:


The Anti-Terrorism Court II convicted two men and acquitted another of kidnapping for ransom charges on Wednesday.


The men, Arshad and Shahzad, were sentenced to 10-year imprisonment while the third accused, Arif, was acquitted. They were accused of kidnapping 15-year-old Muhammad Ahmed and demanding Rs500,000 for his release. Ahmed, however, was released without getting the payment of ransom after a few days.

The prosecutor said that the men were arrested in another case under Arms Ordinance and confessed to their involvement in the kidnapping for ransom case.

The accused had claimed that they were falsely implicated in the case. The judge, however, found that the evidence of the complainant was fully supported by witnesses beyond any doubt. The convicts were remanded back to prison to serve out their sentence.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

Asif | 10 years ago | Reply

Not sure what is best. If ATCs concentrated on terrorism cases and not kidnapping cases then maybe there would be less backlog, more efficient and speedy trials and less angry young men being released after acquittal. However, terrorism cases alone in the ATC would mean shorter under trial periods and because of the single figure conviction rate then suspects back in the hills sooner. So, why were ATCs set up?

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