An Islamabad trial court on Thursday has sentenced Shahnawaz Amir to death for the murder of Sarah Inam. The court has further imposed fine of Rs1 million on him, which would be paid to the bereaved family.
The court acquitted Shahnawaz’s mother, Samina Shah, who was the co-accused in the case. The reserved verdict was issued by the District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana, almost a year after the gruesome killing. Sarah’s parents and Shaukhat Mukaddam- father on another victim of gender-based violence Noor Mukadam- were among those present in the packed courtroom.
At the time, the court was announcing the verdict, the victim’s father was visibly emotional. Following the verdict, the police has escorted the convict out of the courtroom.
It is to be hereby added that, Sarah, a Canadian national, was murdered by Shahnawaz, her husband, a year ago. She was reportedly killed just a day after she arrived in the nation from Dubai, where she had been working.
Shahnawaz was nabbed on September 23 during the last year at a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Shahzad Town. He was earlier remanded to the police custody a day after his arrest and the period of his physical remand was extended multiple times.
Notably, his father was discharged from the case and his mother Sameena Shah was granted post-arrest bail during the month of November last year. On December 5, both Shahnawaz and his mother were indicted in the case.
In January, Dr Bushra Ashraf, who conducted Sarah’s post-mortem examination, told an Islamabad Court that the victim had multiple fractures on her head.
In July, Shahnawaz’s lawyer completed the cross-examination of Sarah’s father and her uncle. In October, Investigation Officer, Habibur Rehman testified that Shahnawaz had confessed to the crime. Subsequently, the judge had concluded recording statements of the IO and the prosecution witnesses in the murder case.
