Extortionist sentenced to life imprisonment

Accused receives sentence of 14 more years of rigorous imprisonment, convict's property to be confiscated.

KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court sentenced an accused in an extortion case to life imprisonment with 14 more years of rigorous imprisonment on Friday. The court also ordered for the convict’s property to be confiscated.

According to the prosecution on November 11, 2009, the accused, Muhammad Shafi, along with absconding accused Ghaffar Zikri and Yaqoob - alleged members of the Lyari gang war - planted a cracker under the car of Muhammad Shamim Khan, which later exploded. They demanded Rs3 million from him and threatened him that the next blast would claim his life if he did not pay up.

Khan reported to the police who advised him to agree as bait, the prosecution submitted. He went to the place identified by the accused to deliver the money and the police arrested Shafi after a shoot-out.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2010.