KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Saturday handed down five-year imprisonment to a suspected hitman belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London in a money laundering case.

The ATC-XVI judge announced the verdict against Raeesuddin alias Mama, a former in charge of MQM’s Korangi sector.

The Counter Terrorism Department had registered a case against the accused for terror financing in July 2019 claiming that he was an alleged hitman belonging to the MQM-London.

All legal activities in province’s courts will be resumed from Aug 3

The accused is also facing trial in 18 cases of murder, extortion, etc.

The CTD alleged in the charge sheet that the accused had raised Rs2.5 million, which was later used in heinous crimes and terrorist activities.

However, the ATC sentenced him to five years in prison under Section 11-K (money laundering) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and another five-year term under Section 11-L (disclosure of information) of the ATA.

The court said in its judgement, “As far arguments as highlighted by the learned defence counsel that prosecution has not brought on record any evidence regarding the source of fund raising, fund collection and mode of distribution by the accused to his companions from which it can be assessed that accused is involved in terror financing, the term financial terrorism has to be understand from the definitions given to different terms concerned, as given in sections 11-K to 11-L.”

These are special provisions which required the accused that once prosecution has discharged the burden of proof, the onus of proof shifted to the accused for his defence, it added.

It further observed that the accused utterly failed to give an explanation about the suspicious transaction brought on record by the prosecution by discharging its duty of burden of proof.

Resumption of work in courts

All civil, criminal work and matters of other nature at the Sindh High Court, district judiciary of the province and all other judicial forums will resume from Aug 3 with precautionary measures.

According to a circular issued by the SHC registrar, the chief justice has issued direction for resumption of all civil, business, criminal work and cases or matters of other nature as before suspension of work, at the SHC, district courts and all other judicial forums of the province from Aug 3 subject to observing precautionary and pre-emptive measures in respect of Covid-19.

It said in case of violation of the precautions the above decision may be recalled.

The civil and other routine work at the courts had been suspended and only cases of urgent nature and bail applications were allowed to be heard in March following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2020