SC acquits death row convict after 10 years

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday acquitted a death row convict who had been serving prison time for the past 10 years.

The apex court ruled Mohammad Amir as innocent after a decade and issued orders that he be let free.

The decision was announced during a case hearing conducted by a three-member bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.

A case for murder was registered against Amir at Chotala police station in Jhelum in 2006. Four other persons who were also accused along with Amir had been acquitted by a trial court earlier.

The Supreme Court said in its ruling that the other four accused were let go on the basis of testimony given by certain witnesses. Amir was sentenced on the testimony of the same witnesses.

The court added that since the said witnesses could not be relied upon in the case of the other four accused, they could also not be trusted in Amir’s case.

The Supreme Court said that the prosecution had failed to present evidence against Amir and declared that the inmate was free to go.