Axact fake degrees case: IHC rejects Shoaib Sheikh’s exemption plea

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday adjourned hearing till December 16, on accused appeals against their conviction in Axact fake degrees case.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case on the appeals of Axact Company’s chief Shoaib Sheikh, Rizwan Shah and Nigel Brin Robello. On the query of the bench, the FIA adopted the stance that it could not comply the non-bailable arrest warrants of Robello as it could not get the court order. The chief justice remarked that should this court asked the DG FIA to get the warrants complied, adding that the FIA could have received the order on next day.

During hearing, Latif Khosa Advocate pleaded that until an appellant was declared absconder his case could not be separated. Shoaib Sheikh’s lawyer Abid Zubairi prayed the court to adjourn hearing in this case till January. He said that his client had also given application for exemption from appearance.

The chief Justice remarked that this case was not going to be concluded in one hearing whenever its proceeding would start. The court did not know why the accused side had some anxiety and they wanted to delay the proceeding, he said.

The chief justice remarked that the accused had arrived here to seek exemption although the arguments into the case were yet to start. Latif Khosa said that there were security issues to his client and requested to grant him exemption from attendance.

The chief justice observed that accused Shoaib Sheikh had to appear before the court. The further hearing into the case was then adjourned till December 16. It may be mentioned here that a trial court had announced Axact CEO Shoaib Sheikh and 22 others 20 years in prison in total and fined Rs1. 3 million fine each in the Axact fake degrees case. The accused had challenged the verdict before IHC.