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LAHORE, July 18: An additional sessions judge awarded death penalty and fine of Rs500,000 to an accused in a blasphemy case registered with Gawalmandi police.
Convict Anwar Kenneth, a former official of Fisheries Department, had been accused of distributing a pamphlet containing objectionable material.
He was arrested by Gawalmandi SHO Zafarullah on June 15, 2001, while distributing a pamphlet and had made a statement before the court that he had done nothing and had sent the pamphlet to the heads of Muslim states.
The prosecution produced two witnesses against him. The accused was produced on Thursday before the court under strict security measures as the sessions court had been cordoned off by heavy contingents of police. Kenneth was taken to jail right after the verdict was delivered under section 295-C PPC.
He has a legal right to file an appeal before the Lahore High Court against the verdict within next seven days.
PLEADS GUILTY: Kenneth, 45, pleaded guilty before judge Sadaqatullah Khan to writing letters to religious scholars and the UN officials in which he questioned Prophet Mohammad, court and police officials said, AFP adds.
“The accused pleaded guilty and did not contest the case,” police officer Rizwan Ahmed said.
“The accused admitted before the court that he wrote letters not only to local religious leaders but to UN Secretary-general (Kofi Annan),” he said.
Kenneth claimed in the letters that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was not the last prophet of God, which is a fundamental Muslim belief, and said he had “direct interaction” with God.
