SC acquits man in Sheikhupura rape case

ISLAMABAD: After eight years, the Supreme Court on Thursday acquitted a man alleged of raping a girl in Sheikhupura, ARY News reported.

A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa termed it as an act of consent and expressed resentment over the false testimony given by the alleged victim’s father.

During the hearing, Justice Khosa observed that the duty of a judge is to give justice and those who fail to provide justice should go back to home.

The court stated that the high court ignored substantial evidence and justice cannot be served without tackling false witnesses.”The girl’s body bore no torture marks.”

“The main witness of the case and the complainant Bashir Ahmed relayed a false account of the incident,” said the CJP. “The false testimony could have resulted in a death penalty to the accused.”

Addressing Ahmad, the chief justice remarked that,” Why should the courts not award you life in jail?”

He added that the girl’s father changed his account of the incident twice before the court. “This man seems a mentally disable person.”

The sessions court had awarded a life sentence to accused Shabbir Ahmad and high court had maintained the lower court’s decision.

However, the sentence was revoked by the SC.