Sindh High Court Acquits Six Men in Juvenile Sexual Assault Case Due to Flawed Investigation
The Sindh High Court (SHC) in Karachi has overturned the conviction of six men sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy. The two-judge bench, led by Justice Omar Sial, acquitted the appellants, citing significant procedural failures and a lack of credible evidence. The court criticized the police investigation as insensitive and incomplete, noting that crucial CCTV footage was ignored and key witnesses, including the victim's friend and family members, were not examined. Furthermore, the judgment highlighted that medical evidence did not support the prosecution's charges under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The bench strongly condemned the trauma inflicted on the juvenile victim by both the investigating officers and his own father, suggesting the child may have been tutored. The court observed that the prosecution's case relied solely on the victim's statement, which contained inconsistencies regarding the identification of the accused. Consequently, reasonable doubt was established, leading to the acquittal. This ruling underscores the judicial emphasis on proper legal procedure and sensitive handling of cases involving minors, while exposing severe lapses in the initial trial and investigative processes.
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Sindh High Court Acquits Six Men in Juvenile Sexual Assault Case Due to Flawed Investigation
The Sindh High Court (SHC) in Karachi has overturned the conviction of six men sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy. The two-judge bench, led by Justice Omar Sial, acquitted the appellants, citing significant procedural failures and a lack of credible evidence. The court criticized the police investigation as insensitive and incomplete, noting that crucial CCTV footage was ignored and key witnesses, including the victim's friend and family members, were not examined. Furthermore, the judgment highlighted that medical evidence did not support the prosecution's charges under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The bench strongly condemned the trauma inflicted on the juvenile victim by both the investigating officers and his own father, suggesting the child may have been tutored. The court observed that the prosecution's case relied solely on the victim's statement, which contained inconsistencies regarding the identification of the accused. Consequently, reasonable doubt was established, leading to the acquittal. This ruling underscores the judicial emphasis on proper legal procedure and sensitive handling of cases involving minors, while exposing severe lapses in the initial trial and investigative processes.
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