KARACHI, March 31: The Anti-Terrorism Court No 1, Karachi, headed by Judge Ghulam Ali A. Samtio on Saturday sentenced to death an accused on two counts for kidnapping and murder of baby Laiba.The ATC's judge proclaimed the verdict in open court in the presence of the accused, his siblings and the father of the murdered minor girl.

The court found Asadullah guilty of kidnapping for ransom and causing death of the victim, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl, Laiba. She was kidnapped and subsequently murdered in the limits of the North Nazimabad police by her uncle Asadullah.

The baby went missing on April 28, 2006 while the kidnapper demanded a ransom of Rs1.5 million from the family.

After negotiations over the cellphone, the family paid Rs300,000 to the convict.

The family went to the spot identified by the kidnapper but they found a-day-old corpse of little Laiba bearing torture marks.

The convict was arrested by the North Nazimabad police on April 30, 2006.

In his judgment, the ATC's judge convicting the accused sentenced him to death on two counts for the crimes under section 7 (e) and 7 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 and forfeiture of his movable and immovable properties to the extent of Rs1 million for the crime under section 7 (e) ATA, while

A fine of Rs1 million for the crime under section 7 (a) ATA-1997.

The court has directed that in default of the payment of fine the convict will also suffer rigorous imprisonment for six months.

The convict is also directed to pay compensation amounting to Rs1 million to Rehmatullah, father of the murdered girl, u/s 554-A CrPC, within a month, while in default of the payment the convict shall suffer imprisonment for six months. — APP