KARACHI: A sessions court on Wednesday sentenced two men to seven-year imprisonment in a robbery case.

Mohammad Ali Hajano and Umair Khan were found guilty of robbing Ashfaq Ahmed and his family at gunpoint in January 2009 in Clifton.

The duo was infamously known for targeting residents of Defence Housing Authority, Clifton and its surrounding areas in a white Toyota Corolla car during 2008-09.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Sikandar Ameer Pahore, who conducted the trial at the judicial complex inside the Karachi central prison, pronounced his verdict after recording evidence of the witnesses and concluding arguments from both sides.

The court ruled that victim Ahmed, who is also the complainant, deposed against the accused and his testimony was also corroborated by documentary and other evidence and the case stood proved against them beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each and in case of default the convicts would have to undergo an additional one year in prison.

A case was registered against the accused under Sections 395 (punishment for dacoity), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Boat Basin police station.

Police had arrested the accused persons in January 2009 and they were chargesheeted in over 35 cases, including robbery/dacoity, attempted murder, attempt to outrage the modesty of women, street crimes, possession of illicit weapons and killing a transgender person at the Boat Basin, Darakhshan, Clifton, Defence and Gizri police stations.

Court officials said it was the last case pending against the accused in the sessions court. They have been convicted in around 10 cases.

A court sentenced them to life imprisonment in March this year for killing transgender Fida Hussain in September 2009 in Clifton.

The duo were acquitted in around 25 other cases since the prosecution witnesses either turned hostile or failed to appear in court for evidence.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2017