Pak rape-and-murder case: Prime accused handed four death sentences

Imran Ali, the prime accused in the brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Punjab province of Pakistan, was on Saturday found guilty by an anti-terrorism court and was handed four counts of the death penalty, one life term and a Rs3.2 million in fines. The verdict was announced at the Lahore's Central Jail in Kot Lakhpat.

According to Dawn.com, the death penalties were for kidnap, rape, murder and one for committing an act of terrorism. The life sentence has been awarded for sodomy and another penalty was imposed for hiding the body in a trash heap.

The court had on Monday indicted Imran in the case. Imran's DNA also matched samples taken from seven other minor girls who were abused and murdered earlier in Kasur. Evidence against the accused includes DNA and polygraph tests, his own clothes, CCTV footage and the medical report. A list of 55 witnesses had also been submitted before the court.

After the police arrested Imran, the suspect reportedly confessed to assaulting eight minor girls at an under-construction site and two others in a garbage heap. He also admitted to murdering five minor girls at an under-construction site and throwing away the bodies of three others in a garbage pile, the report said quoting sources.

Earlier, police sources confirmed Imran, a neighbour of the girl, had confessed to his crime before an investigation team. Imran was familiar with the victim's family and would also frequent her house.

The girl, who was living with her maternal aunt, had gone to attend Quran class in the neighbourhood on January 4 when she was allegedly abducted. After the girl did not return home that night, family members registered an FIR the next day citing her disappearance. CCTV footage obtained by the family shows the girl walking with a stranger and holding his hand. Some reports claimed that the girl was walking without any apparent signs of fear.

On January 9, a police constable recovered her body from a heap of rubbish. Local media organisations quote police chief Zulfiqar Hameed as saying that an autopsy suggested that the girl was raped before being strangled to death at least five days ago.

Violent protests gripped the Kasur city following the minor's rape and murder that claimed two lives. The shocking incident also stirred a national outcry demanding justice for her.