Motorway gang-rape case: Convicts approach LHC against penalties, sentences

LAHORE: The convicts in the motorway gang rape case here on Thursday approached the Lahore High Court against their death penalties and other sentences awarded by the trial court.

An anti-terrorism court on March 20 had awarded death sentence to Abid Ali alias Malhi and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga besides life imprisonment and multiple jail terms.

The convicts contended in their appeal that the trial court announced the impugned verdict against the facts and law.

The appellants/convicts were not nominated in the FIR and the description mentioned in the FIR was altogether different from the physical features and age of the appellants.

The appeals contend that it is an established principle of law that accused is entitled to every little doubt and in this case so many infirmities have been found. It has been argued that the judgement by the trial court is harsh and against the settled principles of law.

The appellants ask the court to allow the appeals, set aside their conviction and acquit them of the charges.

Gujjarpura police charged the convicts to assault a Pakistan origin French woman sexually that stopped during the late night travel on the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway after fuel ran out.

The police had recovered a pistol and a club, used in the crime, from the custody of the suspects besides a recovery of their mobile phones.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021