KARACHI, Nov 23: A sessions court on Tuesday recorded the testimony of the security officer of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in a case pertaining to the rape of a trainee nurse. A medico-legal officer at the JPMC, since dismissed from service by the Sindh government, has been charged with sexually assaulting and trying to kill a student of the nursing school of the JPMC at the residential area of the hospital on July 13.

The security officer, Mohammad Akram Janjua, who was the complainant in the rape case, appeared in court and deposed that on July 13 he was at the JPMC when the joint director of the hospital informed him about an incident. He said he went to the doctors' mess where around 40 people had been gathered around an unconscious girl, who was immediately shifted to the emergency section of the hospital.

He said that the accused MLO, Dr Abdul Jabbar Memon, resided on the first floor and he along with some doctors went upstairs and knocked at the door, but in the meanwhile the accused MLO jumped from the window and sustained injuries.

The defence lawyer also cross-examined the witness.

After recording the statement, Additional District and Sessions Judge (south) Abdul Razzaq adjourned the hearing till Dec 7 and directed the investigation officer to produce the victim in court on the next hearing. The court also allowed an application filed by the accused for a better class in prison.

According to the prosecution, the 22-year-old victim was allegedly raped by the MLO who then made an attempt on her life by pushing her down from a window of his apartment. She was found unconscious on the lawns of the doctors' mess and a few minutes later, the MLO with bruises on his body was spotted there, it added.

It further stated that in the light of initial medical reports the offence of rape was established against the accused, hence Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code was incorporated in the FIR against him. Section 114 (abettor present when offence is committed) of the PPC was added in the charge-sheet against the driver of the accused and a nurse.

The IO stated that it was up to the court to decide about them after recording the evidence of the victim.

A case (FIR 332/2010) was initially registered under Section 324 (attempted murder) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the PPC against the accused MLO at the Saddar police station.