LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Wednesday dismissed appeals of 13 convicts against their sentence in Sialkot lynching case while acquitting nine police officials, giving them benefit of doubt.

An angry mob had in 2010 lynched two brothers -- Mughees Sajjad and Muneeb Sajjad -- in Sialkot in the presence of police, declaring them dacoits.

Read: Seven sentenced to death for Sialkot lynching

The convicted policemen, including former Sialkot district police officer Waqar Chohan, had pleaded no police official was present on the scene when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Policemen given benefit of doubt

They said the complainant implicated them in the case with mala fide intention.

The trial court handed down three years in jail, along with imposition of fine, to ex-DPO Waqar Chohan, former station house officer (SHO) Rana Ilyas, ex-assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Waris and ex-constables Tariq Mahmood, Muhammad Akram, Mubarak Ali, Muhammad Yasin, Muhammad Bashir, and Naseer Ahmed.

Also read: Sialkot lynching case: High court releases seven policemen

Those handed down death sentence and life term contended that the trial court had not conducted a fair trial and remained influenced by superior courts and the media campaign on the issue.

The appellants said they had no link with the lynching of the two brothers. They asked the bench to set aside their conviction and acquit them.

However, the prosecution counsel told the bench the convicts were identified through video footages of the lynching episode made by some members of public and the media. He also presented the video record before the bench.

The counsel said the trial court handed down death penalty to seven accused and life term to six others after they were found guilty of the crime.

After hearing both sides, the bench dismissed appeals of 13 convicts and acquitted nine police officials giving them benefit of doubt.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2015

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