SHC sets aside conviction in child rape, murder case

The Sindh High Court on Thursday set aside the conviction of a man in a child rape and murder case due to lack of sufficient evidence.

Asghar Shah had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Thatta sessions court for raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl with another man in the Sajawal area on October 25, 2010. According to the prosecution, Mohammad Shah and Asghar Shah had dumped the girl’s body in the same area.

However, the appellant’s counsel submitted that his client had been falsely implicated in the case due to the recorded statement of Asghar and no direct evidence had been placed by the prosecution against him.

He further claimed that during the identification parade, prosecution witnesses had identified Aghar, who later died during the trial. He said the chemical examination report did not support the prosecution case.

He requested the court to set aside the conviction of his client as the prosecution failed to prove charges against him.

The additional prosecutor general submitted that the appellant had confessed his involvement in the murder and rape of the girl, and requested the court to dismiss the appeal. The court observed that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the appellant beyond any reasonable doubt and set aside the conviction.