KARACHI, Oct 22: An anti-terrorism court on Monday recorded the depositions of an eyewitness and a medico-legal officer in a kidnapping for ransom and murder case of two boys.

Seven-year-old Sajid Ilyas Masih, son of Ilyas Masih, and nine-year-old Ubaid Riaz Masih, son of Riaz Masih, were kidnapped in Christian Para, Nai Abadi, in Korangi police jurisdiction on May 21, 2007.

Judge Abdul Ghafoor Memon of ATC-II, who is conducting the trial, recorded the statement of a shopkeeper, Ashiq Masih, who said he had seen both the boys with Asif Masih, another resident of the locality, on May 21. On his return from the shop, he saw both the boys with Asif Masih, the witness said, adding that another person appeared to be a Pathan was also going along with them toward Korangi.

He admitted that he knew the victims and their families since they were residing in his neighborhood. He also confirmed the identity of the accused Asif Masih, saying that he was also a resident of the same locality.

The statement of MLO Dr Zeeshan, who conducted the postmortem of the bodies in Jinnah hospital, was also recorded. He told the court about the age of the boys and the injuries on their bodies. Asking Special Public Prosecutor Niamat Ali Randhawa to produce the rest of witnesses to testify, the court fixed Oct 24 as the next date of hearing.

Earlier on Oct 9, the court had recorded the depositions of two prosecution witnesses Samuel Masih and Sub-inspector Aslam Mughal. Samuel Masih, alias Samson, told the court that he and a fried of his were sitting on the pipes at a short distance from their neighborhood when he saw the two boys (Sajid and Ubaid) going with Asif Masih on the evening of May 21.

“I caught hold of Ubaid and asked him to go back home. But he refused and asked Asif Masih to intervene. Asif asked me to let Ubaid go with him,” testified Mr Samson.He said another man, who appeared to be a Pathan, was also waiting for Asif and they all went toward Korangi.

“Later, the news spread in the locality that the boys had been kidnapped. I told the story to Shahbaz, Sajid’s uncle, and as a result Asif Masih disappeared from the area,” he said.

Sub-inspector Mohammad Aslam Mughal said the bodies of the two victims were found during his duty hours at the Zaman Town police station. He informed the boys’ family and later the Anti-Violent Crime Cell about it.

He also described how the bodies were shifted to hospital with the help of Edhi volunteers, how they were identified and how the high-ups of the police department were intimated about the developments in the case.