PHC upholds death sentence to child rapist, killer

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday upheld the death sentence and life imprisonment to a man convicted of raping and killing a child.

The eight-year-old girl, a grade 3 student, was assaulted and killed in the limits of the Nowshera Kalaan Police Station on December 18, 2018. A two-member division bench consisting of Justice Ishtiq Ibrahim and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah heard the appeal of the convict, Yasir.

The counsel for the convicted person argued that his client was sentenced to death and life imprisonment on two counts along with a fine of Rs2.1 million to be paid to the relatives of the slain girl child. The counsel argued that there was no evidence against his client and that the police arrested him on mere allegations. He added that his client was taken into custody after getting the DNA samples but it was not a proper proof, which connected the accused with the offence. He said that prosecution had failed to prove his case and hence he should be acquitted.

The counsel for complainant, Barrister Sarwar Muzaffar Shah told the court that the police had arrested the accused after collecting the evidence along with the DNA report which matched with the convict. He requested the court to uphold the sentence. The court handed down the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

Justice Sahibzada Asadullah wrote the 26-page judgment citing some of the reasons for dismissing the appeal. The judge said incidents were increasing day by day which portrayed a negative picture of our society. He observed that the convict showed no mercy to an innocent small girl when he raped and then killed her. If this accused showed no mercy to a small girl, why he expects mercy from the court, the judgement read. The judgement said the appeal was, therefore, dismissed and the death penalty along with life imprisonment upheld. The convict was directed to pay the fine to the relatives of the slain girl.