Three police officers among 11 acquitted in foreigners’ kidnapping case

An anti-terrorism court acquitted on Tuesday 11 men, including three police officers, in a 2020 case pertaining to alleged abduction of three Nigerian nationals for ransom.

The ATC-XV judge exonerated former Defence Police Station SHO Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ali Niazi, inspectors Waseem Abro and Nisar Ahmed Awan, and Adeeb Shah, Haji Muhammad Saleem, Ali Hassan Brohi, Ali Nawaz Zehri, Dilbar Khan Malano, Jan Muhammad alias Jani, Jan Muhammad alias Jaffar and Qambar from the charge of kidnapping foreign nationals in the Defence area in 2020.

The Nigerians -- Oguchi, Armica and Lucky -- were allegedly held captive as security against payment for drugs smuggled to African countries through the sea. The judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, announced his judgement after recording evidence and final arguments from defence and prosecution sides.

The court ruled that the prosecution failed to place on record evidence to corroborate the charges against the accused persons. It placed the case against absconding suspects -- Nusrat alias Nasrullah, Imran Fateh, Habibullah, Jamil and Riaz Driver -- on dormant till their arrests.

According to the prosecution, the Anti-Violent Crime Cell arrested and booked the private persons for abducting the three foreigners as security against payment for international drugs deals. The then SHO of the Defence police station, Niazi, and SHO AVCC Abro were also booked for allegedly handing over the captives to the private suspects against the payment of Rs7 million ransom instead of handing over them to the relevant consulate after their recovery.