KARACHI : Witnesses testify in two boys’ murder case
By A Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 12: Two eyewitnesses in a kidnapping for ransom and double murder case testified on Friday in an anti-terrorism court against the accused, Asif Masih. Judge Abdul Ghafoor Memon of ATC-II had recorded the testimony of four other witnesses on Oct 9.
Seven-year-old Sajid Ilyas Masih, son of Ilyas Masih, and nine-year-old Ubaid Riaz Masih, son of Riaz Masih, were kidnapped in Christian Para, New Abadi, an area that falls in the jurisdiction of the Korangi police, on May 21, 2007.
A boy, Samuel Masih alias Samson, as an eyewitness told the court that along with another friend, he was sitting on pipes at a short distance from their neighbourhood when he saw the two boys (Sajid and Ubaid) going with Asif Masih during the evening on May 21.
“I caught Ubaid and asked him to go back to his home. But he declined and asked Asif Masih to intervene. Asif asked me to let Ubaid go with him,” testified Mr Samson.
He said another man, who appeared to be a Pakhtun, was also waiting for Asif and all of them went towards Korangi.
“Later, news spread in the locality that the boys were kidnapped. I told the story to Shahbaz, Sajid’s uncle, and as a result Asif Masih disappeared from the area,” he added.
A sub-inspector, Mohammad Aslam Mughal, said that during his duty hours at Zaman Town, the bodies were recovered. He had informed the boys’ heirs and then informed the Anti-Violent Crime Cell.
He also described how the bodies were shifted to hospital with the help of Edhi volunteers, how they were identified and how the high-ups of the police department were intimated about the developments in the case.
According to the prosecution, one of the kidnappers, who identified himself as Rehman Dakait, demanded a ransom of Rs2 million, saying that he had paid Rs1.5 million for the boys. He said he would release the victims in return for Rs2 million, pocketing a cut of Rs500,000.
The victims’ families told the abductors many times that they were unable to pay such a huge ransom. The prosecution said the kidnappers then killed the boys and disposed of the bodies stuffed in sacks.
The area police found the bodies on May 30 and shifted them to a hospital. They also informed the parents. The bodies were identified by the parents in the hospital.
According to the prosecution, the boys were allegedly kidnapped by Asif Masih, son of Anwar Masih, Rehman Dakait and Asal Din.
The police arrested accused Asif Masih in Korangi. He was indicted on Sept 28. The accused pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case.
The judge asked Special Public Prosecutor Niamat Ali Randhawa to produce the remaining witnesses on Oct 18 for evidence.
