KARACHI, July 21: A sessions court sentenced on Saturday a man to life imprisonment in a murder case.

Mohammad Tanveer was found guilty of killing his neighbour, Asif Ghaffar, in November 2007 within the remit of the Korangi police station.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (east) Tariq Mehmood Khoso pronounced his verdict after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 and in case of default the convict would have to undergo an additional six months in prison.

The court also directed him to pay a compensation of Rs300,000 to the deceased’s legal heirs.

The court in its verdict ruled that eyewitnesses had testified against the accused and prosecution witnesses also supported their version, adding that the medical evidence also corroborated the testimonies of the witnesses.

The prosecution was successful in proving its case against the accused beyond a shadow of a doubt by placing ample evidence in court, it concluded.

Earlier, the public prosecutor, Amir Dasti, submitted in his final arguments that the prosecution examined 12 witnesses including two eyewitness and they had supported its case.

The reports of a medico-legal officer and the chemical examiner further strengthened the case, he added.

However, the defence lawyer submitted that his client was framed in the case due to some enmity.

The lawyer also pointed out contradictions in the evidence of the witnesses.

According to the prosecution, the accused used to subject his aged father to torture and their neighbours were well aware of this. On the night between Nov 6 and 7 after hearing a hue and cry the victim and other neighbours came to the rescue of the elderly man. However, the accused stabbed the neighbour, Asif Ghaffar, in the stomach with scissors leaving him seriously injured. Later, the victim succumbed to his wounds. Police arrested the accused in blood-stained clothes the same day.

A case (FIR 859/07) was registered against the accused under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint of the victim’s brother.

The court also extended the benefit of Section 382-B (the period of detention to be considered while awarding sentence of imprisonment) of the criminal procedure code to the convict.

The jail authorities produced the accused in court on Saturday and following the pronouncement of the judgment the court remanded him back to the prison along with the conviction warrants to serve out the remainder of his sentence.