KARACHI, March 21: The Sindh High Court accepted a murder convict’s appeal on Friday and ordered his release if not required in any other case.

Appellant Gul Mohammed alias Gullu was accused of killing his former employer, Abdus Salam, at Thatta in 1998. He was alleged to have fired at Salam in his bedroom in the presence of the latter’s brother. The bullet penetrated the victim’s jugular vein and he died instantaneously. Gullu threw his pistol after firing from it and fled the scene as the sons of the deceased looked on.

A Thatta sessions court awarded death penalty to the accused, which he challenged in the high court.

It was urged on behalf of the convict in the high court that there was a wide divergence in the medico-legal report and the testimony of the eyewitnesses. He could not have thrown away the weapon of offence for possible use by the victim’s sons or for use against him as a crucial piece of evidence. The discrepancy made the incident unbelievable and the appellant was entitled to the benefit of doubt.

A division bench, consisting of Justice Shabbir Ahmed and Justice Azizullah M. Memon, allowed the appeal and acquitted the appellant.

Justice Syed Zawwar Hussain Jaffery granted bail to an accused facing trial for passport forgery. The accused is alleged to have affixed his own photograph on another person’s passport. He was arrested by the FIA while trying to fly to Jeddah on the passport.

The bail was granted in the sum of Rs100,000 along with a personal bond in the like amount.

BAIL GRANTED: The Sindh High Court granted bail to two accountability court convicts pending disposal of their appeals.