PESHAWAR: A local court has convicted a police official for killing two colleagues at a quarantine centre during the Covid-19 pandemic and awarded him life imprisonment with a fine of Rs4 million.

Additional sessions judge Said Badshah ruled that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused, Mohammad Abbas, beyond any shadow of doubt.

He sentenced the convict on two counts under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code to life imprisonment with further direction to pay a fine of Rs2 million to legal heirs of each of the two deceased.

The court also convicted him under Sections 161 and 162 of the PPC for taking bribes from a Covid-19 patient and allowing him to go home from the centre, and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for one year with a fine of Rs20,000.

Deputy public prosecutor Huma Farid contended that the accused was caught red-handed, while the weapon he used for the offence was also seized.

She contended that the evidence on record connected the accused with the commission of the offence.

The FIR of the incident was registered at Shahpur police station, Peshawar on July 18, 2021.

The convict killed assistant sub-inspector Gul Rehman and constable Imran Khan for reprimanding him for taking bribe from a patient to allow him to stay at home instead of at the isolation centre.

One of the prosecution witnesses was patient Zahir Shah, who also recorded his statement with a magistrate.

He insisted that he returned from Dubai and was tested positive for Covid-19 before being kept at a government quarantine centre in Dohranpur area.

Mr Shah added that on July 10, 2021, constable Mohammad Abbas allowed him to stay home for a day after receiving a bribe of Rs150 but the next day, he was told that he would be shifted to a hotel where he would be charged for meals and other facilities.

He, however, said the police official received Rs13,000 from him and allowed him to stay home instead of the hotel.

The patient said on July 16, 2021, a police officer asked him over the phone to reach the quarantine centre for Covid-19 test and when he got there, the police officials present on the occasion asked him who gave him the permission to go home instead of staying in isolation.

He claimed that after he disclosed the entire story, the accused was scolded by Gul Rehman, Imran and another official.

Mr Shah said he later learned about the murder of the two policemen by the accused.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2024