LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court of Lahore on Saturday handed down asentence of death penalty on four counts to the prime suspect in the rapeand murder case of seven-year-old Zainab Amin in Kasur.
ATC Judge Sajjad Ahmad awarded capital punishment on four counts, lifeterm, additional imprisonment of 7 years, Rs3.2 million fine to suspectImran Ali.
Zainab, who went missing on January 4 from Kasur’s Kot Road area, was foundraped, dead and buried in a trash heap in Kasur on Jan 9.
The horrific incident triggered widespread outrage and protests across thecountry with people calling for public execution of the culprit.
The ATC judge announced the verdict after recording testimonies ofprosecution witnesses as well as arguments of defense and prosecution sides.
The trial was held on daily basis inside Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail startingfrom Feb 10 when the prime accused was indicted in the rape and murder caseof little Zainab.
The government had declared the arrest of suspect Imran Ali on January 23.
The ATC judge recorded testimonies of as many as 36 prosecution witnesses,who included forensic experts, medical board members, the jointinvestigation team members and members of other investigation teams.
During the course of trial, the suspect also confessed the crime before thecourt. His lawyer Mehar Shakeel Multani withdrew his power of attorneyafter his confessional statement.
Ali has also been booked in at least nine cases of rape and murder of minorgirls in Kasur.
The court conducted trial on a fast-track basis in order to meet thedeadline set by the Supreme Court and the Lahore High Court.