KARACHI, Jan 22: An anti-terrorism appellate bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Wahid Bux Brohi and Justice Moosa K. Leghari, on Wednesday maintained the death sentence awarded to an accused in a dacoity-cum-double murder case.

According to prosecution, Mohammed Ahsan committed a dacoity in a house on June 24, 2000. He had also killed Mehraj Bano and her neighbour Shafaq. The accused also attempted to kill Sidra and Sobia, two sisters of Shafaq, by strangulating them with a telephone wire.

The accused was tried by an ATC which sentenced him to death on Aug 10, 2002.

When the appeal came up for hearing, state counsel relying on the evidence in the case said all witnesses are natural and prosecution has proved its case beyond any shadow of doubt.

He supported the conviction and sentence of the accused by the trial court.

The bench, after hearing both the sides, upheld the judgement of anti-terrorism court and maintained the death sentence awarded to the appellant.

The same bench modified the death sentence awarded to an accused/ convict Aman in a rape and murder case of eight-year-old Khajista in the jurisdiction of PS Soldier Bazar. The bench after hearing the state counsel and counsel for appellant commuted the death sentence to 10 years rigorous imprisonment (RI).—APP