KARACHI, Nov 23: An anti-terrorism court sentenced on Saturday two men to death for kidnapping a boy for ransom.

Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 also ordered the forfeiture of all the movable and immovable properties of Habibullah and Sultan Ahmed, who had kidnapped 15-year-old Najeebullah, son of Naik Mohammed, on Aug 20.

The judge, however, separated the case of the third accused, Bashir Ahmed, who would be tried under the Sindh Children Act because of his being under-age.

The three accused, with an absconding accused, kidnapped the boy for ransom when he was playing outside his house in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

The accused, riding in a white car, took him away and kept him in a house in Abdullah Gabol Goth, Gulshan-i-Maymar. Later, they phoned the father of the hostage and demanded ransomfor his release.

The kidnappers initially demanded Rs3 million. However, later they agreed to accept Rs500,000 in instalments for his son’s release after three days’ negotiations on phone.

On August 24, the boy’s father went to a desolate place on the Super Highway as told by the kidnappers. He gave Rs110,000 to them but they did not release his son and ordered him to pay the remaining amount.

On his way back home, the father of the victim spotted the car of the kidnappers at a house in Gulshan-i-Maymar. He immediately informed the police and a police party, after a shootout, arrested the kidnappers and recovered the boy.

The special public prosecutor, Naimat Ali Randhawa, examined in all eight prosecution witnesses, who included the owner of the house, where the kidnapped boy had been kept. Kher Mohammed, the house owner, told the police that the accused persons had illegally and forcibly occupied his house.

Besides, the testimonies of Naik Mohammed and Kher Muhammed, the victim boy also identified the three kidnappers before the trial court while recording his deposition.

ACQUITTED: The special anti-narcotics court, headed by Judge Ali Nawaz Pirzada, acquitted a man, prosecuted for possessing 950 grams charas.