ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Monday acquitted two suspects in a murder case who had spent the last 12 years of their lives in prison due to a contradiction in witness’ statements.
As a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa heard the case, the top court said that the suspects, Abdullah Nasir, and Tahir Abdullah were blamed for murder back in 2007.
A trial court had handed them a death sentence, the court said, adding that the Lahore High Court (LHC) changed the verdict to life imprisonment. The court maintained that suspects cannot be cannot be held responsible if over fake evidence.
Later, both suspects were acquitted by the apex court.
On January 31, while overturning a Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict, the chief justice had come down hard on the practice of recording false testimonies before courts, saying that it creates hurdles for courts.
“In other countries, people speak the truth and laws are debated but here, hurdles are created for courts,” he had complained.
Before assuming power, Justice Khosa had repeatedly said that all judges who handed sentences on false testimonies would be held accountable.
“False witnesses will soon be behind bars and the entire system will be back on the right track as soon as a couple of perjurers are sentenced to life in prison,” he had said while hinting at reforms in the criminal justice system.
