KARACHI: A sessions court on Saturday handed down a death sentence to a street criminal on charges of murdering a man when he resisted his attempt to snatch his cell phone.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Ameeruddin, who is also the presiding officer of the Model Criminal Trial Court (West), found the accused Shakoor Khan guilty of murdering a young man over resistance in Baldia Town on September 25, 2018.

In his verdict, the judge observed that Karachi was once a thriving metropolis but a troubling surge in street crime, particularly acts of murder during robberies had not only undermined the sense of security for residents but also tarnished the city’s long-held reputation as a prosperous urban centre.

“While the city’s historical vibrancy persists, it is increasingly overshadowed by growing apprehension of street crimes. Law enforcement authorities are demonstrably challenged in curbing this wave of criminal activity, leading to a decline in public trust,” the judge remarked.

Judge remarks handing down appropriate and timely penalties will serve as a powerful deterrent against potential offenders

“Stringent measures to deter crime are essential, with a focus on the swift and fair adjudication of robbery and snatching cases within the judicial system,” the judge wrote in the verdict, and that the imposition of appropriate and timely penalties will serve as a powerful deterrent for potential offenders.

The court noted that it was imperative to implement such measures to ensure Karachi can reclaim its past glory and provide a secure environment to its inhabitants.

Regarding the present case, the judge stated that the convict committed a heinous act with brutality, specifically targeting the 21-year-old victim from a close range while snatching a mobile phone.

The prosecution has examined 15 witnesses including two eyewitnesses and their testimonies were corroborated with the medical reports, recovery of the spent bullet casing, and the motorcycle of the accused which he had left abandoned at the crime after committing murder and robbery, it added.

About capital punishment, the court observed that no mitigating circumstances favouring the accused were available since he deliberately fired at the victim from a close range when he resisted him.

“Given these circumstances, the death penalty is a fitting punishment as a necessary measure to deter such heinous crimes of murder during robberies and to ensure that justice is served,” it noted.

The court also ordered the convict to pay compensation of Rs300,000 to the legal heirs of the deceased.

It also awarded a total of 20 years imprisonment for the offences committed under Sections 397 (robbery or dacoity, with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 392 (punishment for robbery) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

It said that the case against the absconding co-accused would be kept on dormant file with instructions for the office to issue perpetual warrants for his arrest until he was apprehended.

The court in its judgement also observed that by imposing suitable penalties and ensuring justice was served, the courts can act as a significant deterrent, discouraging would-be offenders and contributing to the restoration of law and order in the city.

“On one hand, I am in favour of stringent measures to deter crime; on the other hand, I am also mindful of the fact that the objective of the criminal law process is to uncover the truth, ensuring that only the guilty are punished and the innocent are not wrongfully convicted,” it concluded.

According to the prosecution, the young victim, along with his two friends, was sitting outside his home in Baldia Town when the accused, along with his absconding accomplice Shaukat, came there, held him at gunpoint, and demanded his mobile phone. The victim put up resistance and the convict killed him and fled, it added.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2024