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KARACHI, Nov 5: An anti-terrorism court reserved on Tuesday judgment in a case against an alleged worker of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi, prosecuted for spreading sectarian hatred.
Judge Khan Pervaiz Chang of the ATC-4 fixed Thursday for the announcement of judgment after he recorded the statement of the defendant and heard the final arguments of the defence and the prosecution.
According to the prosecution, Mohammed Vakil was arrested with an unlicensed weapon by the CID on Sept 20 this year. During interrogation, the suspect came out to be a diehard worker of the banned religious outfit. Later on Sept 24, police seized certain objectionable printed and recorded material in a house on his lead. Subsequently, he was booked under section 8 (d) of the Anti-terrorism Act.
Recording his statement before the court, the 24-year-old defendant denied his affiliation with the Harkatul Mujahideen and deposed that police implicated him in the case.
He also disputed the time and place of his arrest, stating that he had been in police custody since Aug 29, though police officially effected his arrest on Sept 20 in a 13-D case (possession of unlicensed weapon).
The defendant, an employee of Tokai Industries (Pvt) Ltd, told the court that he was picked up by policemen when he was returning from his job in his company’s van with other colleagues. The policemen took him away in their mobile van (SP-5759).
His counsel, Maqboolur Rahman, during his argument, submitted before the court that the mother of his client had moved an application to the chief justice of the Sindh High Court and the provincial home secretary on the very next day of her son’s arrest by police. He also placed on record the fax receipts of the application.
Placing on record press clippings, the defence counsel also submitted that the news regarding the arrest of Mohammed Vakil had appeared in newspapers of Sept 7, 9 and 10, but police claimed his arrest on Sept 20.
He stated that a constitutional petition against the detention of Vakil was moved in the SHC on Sept 12. He placed on record copies of the petition and its receipt.
CONVICTED: The special anti-narcotics court, headed by Judge Ali Nawaz Pirzada, convicted a Nigerian of possessing 1.1 kg heroin.
Jude Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, arrested on June 20 last year by the customs authorities here at the airport, was sentenced to six years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs50,000.
Jude had concealed 75 drug-filled capsules in his body cavity. He would have to undergo an additional three months’ RI if he failed to pay the fine.
The same court sentenced two drug smugglers, also hailing from Nigeria, to different prison terms.
Gregory Emeka and Frank Ike were arrested on April 28, 2000 at the airport after officials of the Airport Security Force seized 4.25 kg and 5.95 kg heroin, respectively, from the luggage of the two persons.
Emeka was sentenced to 10 years’ RI and Ike to a 12 years’ RI. They were also fined Rs500,000 each. They would have to undergo an additional one year’s RI if the failed to pay the fine.
