KARACHI, June 29 A judicial magistrate has sentenced a 'faith healer' to three years in prison in a fraud case.

The court found Mohammad Javed Ashraf alias Junaid Bengali guilty of cheating and dishonestly obtaining money from the wife of complainant Mohammad Javed in 2006.

Judicial Magistrate (south) Abul Ala Jatoi pronounced his verdict on Monday after recording the evidence of witnesses and arguments from both sides.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 and in case of default, the convict would have to undergo an additional two-month imprisonment.

The court in its verdict observed that the prosecution successfully proved it case against the accused beyond a shadow of a doubt by producing sufficient evidence in court.

According to the prosecution, the wife of Mohammad Javed, the complainant, had gone to a faith healer in order to obtain solution to some domestic problems, but he cheated her and collected a total of Rs100,000 on different occasions by giving her three talismans, which didn't work. Later, the accused refused to return the money when he was asked to do so.

A case (FIR 177/2006) was registered against the accused under Section 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Saddar police station.

The accused was on bail and appeared in court on Tuesday. He was taken into custody following the pronouncement of the verdict and the judge sent him to prison along with his conviction warrant to serve out his term.

Meanwhile, the same court also sentenced a jeweller, Mohammad Idrees, to three years in prison in a fraud case.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 and in case of non-payment, the convict would have to undergo an additional six-month imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, on Aug 7, 2009 complainant Mohammad Shahid went to the shop of the jeweller within the remit of the Preedy police station to sell a diamond ring and the accused had agreed to buy it and paid some initial amount. However, he did not pay the remaining amount and fled after winding up his business.

A case was registered against the accused under Section 420 of the PPC at the Preedy police station.

The accused was taken into custody from the courtroom following the pronouncement of the verdict and he was sent to prison along with his conviction warrant.

Robber gets four years in prison

A sessions court on Tuesday sentenced a man to four years in prison in a robbery case.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (south) Abdul Razzaq found Abid Ali guilty of robbing the complainant in Nov 2009.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 and in case of default, he would have to undergo an additional two-month imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the accused had put the victim, Mohammad Younus, in fear of death by using a sharp-edged weapon and deprived him of his cell-phone and other valuables in the Mehmoodabad area. However, the accused was arrested when he was fleeing from the scene.

A case (FIR 481/2009) was registered under Section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the PPC at the Mehmoodabad police station.

The accused was produced in court in custody and after the pronouncement of the verdict the court remanded him back to prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence.

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

Meanwhile, a judicial magistrate (south) on Tuesday ordered the release of two policemen who were arrested under the Police Order, 2002.

The City Courts police arrested Head Constable Mohammad Nawaz and Constable Rana Asif for providing cellphone to undertrial prisoners on Monday. They were booked under Section 155-C of the Police Order, 2002.

The suspects were produced in court for remand, but Judicial Magistrate Shujaat Mirza ordered their release on the grounds that they were booked under Section 155-C of the Police Order which envisaged only a departmental action against them.