ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday vindicated eight suspects who were given life imprisonment by a trial court in a kidnapping case.
The decision came forward when a three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa heard an acquittal appeal filed by the accused including Naseer Ahmed, Mazhar Hussain and Asad Ali.
As the hearing went underway, CJP Khosa observed that the victim who was kidnapped Muhammad Siddique from Faisalabad in 2011 was neither recovered by the police nor his statement was taken during the investigation.
He remarked that “the witnesses should appear before the court and provide testimony”.
The apex court suspended the trial court’s sentence giving the accused “benefit of a doubt” and issued acquittal orders.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court had dismissed the death sentence awarded to Asad and converted it to life imprisonment.
