KARACHI, March 27: The anti-terrorism appellate bench of the Sindh High Court on Wednesday fixed Friday, March 29, for hearing the final arguments in the appeal of Shaikh Amjad against his conviction by an anti-terrorism court for killing his nextdoor neighbour, a 23-year-old lawyer.

The SHC bench, comprising Justice Mohammed Roshan Essani and Justice Mujeebullah Siddiqui, also watched on Wednesday the videotape containing the confessional statement of the convict/appellant, who was arrested red-handed on Aug 4 near a public phone booth after being tracked down folowing a joint operation by the local police and the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee.

Shaikh Amjad, a businessman, had kidnapped his nextdoor neighbour Shakir Latif, a 23-year-old lawyer, for ransom on July 29 near a five-star hotel in the police limits of Civil Lines. He killed Shakir by giving a drink laced with poison in a house he had rented in the police limits of Darakhshan.

Police had recovered Shakir’s body on a lead given by Shaikh Amjad.

The prosecution had examined, in all, 22 witnesses against the accused. The prosecution witnesses included a CPLC member, Ahmed Chinoy, and Mohammed Arshad of Karachi Scientific Traders. The accused had allegedly bought the poison from the latter.

Shaikh Amjad was awarded double death sentence on two counts: one for kidnapping the lawyer for ransom and the other for murdering him. The court had also ordered him to pay Rs200,000 as Diyat to the victim’s family.

The convict filed an appeal with the Sindh High Court on Oct 15 last year and the AT Appellate Double Bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Justice Ataur Rahman, ordered the preparation of record and procedure (R&P) book.

On Nov 6, the bench ordered the production of Shaikh Amjad in court, who sought two weeks’ time for engaging a lawyer.

On Nov 29, the convict appointed Mir Mohammed Shaikh his attorney.

The SHC bench told the defence attorney on Wednesday that he was being given the last chance to make final arguments in the appeal when he again sought time on health grounds.