An anti-terrorism court awarded death sentence twice to two clerics who murdered a 15-year old boy after kidnapping him for ransom in 2016. The court announced this decision on Monday after hearing final arguments from both sides.

A boy named Abdul Moiz was kidnapped in 2016 by Qari Abdul Majeed and Qari Ahsan Ali and and dumped his body parts in different areas of Brigade police station in June 2016.

The judge noted that the prosecution proved the charges against the accused persons beyond a shadow of a doubt.

He further noted that “the manner in which the accused acted while taking the life of an innocent, I am of the considered view that they do not deserve any leniency”.

Both individuals have been handed down death sentence each on the counts of kidnapping for ransom, murder and terrorism.

The judge also ordered each convict to pay a Rs1 million fine or undergo 10-year imprisonment on default.

All the sentences would run concurrently. However, these sentences are subject to confirmation or otherwise by the Sindh High Court.

Special public prosecutor Iqbal Meo argued that the victim, Moiz, then aged 15, had brought a form from the Ghousia Qadriya mosque in Khudadad Colony on June 26, 2016 to sit in aitekaf during Ramazan.

Moiz went to the mosque to submit his form but didn’t come back, said prosecutor. After that the complainant, Mohammad Arif got a text message and call from the kidnappers demanding Rs700,000.

The family paid Rs400,000 to kidnappers, who promised to set the boy free after one hour, the prosecutor said, adding that the boy never returned home.

The prosecution said that both the accused used to teach Quran to Abdul Moiz, thus due to the fear of being identified, they instead butchered the boy and buried his body parts in different areas.

The prosecutor argued that the police arrested Qari Ahsan Ali, who led to the arrest of Qari Abdul Majeed, adding that both of them led the police to the recovery of the body parts of the deceased, a knife and a dagger used in the crime.

On the other hand, the accused men in their statements recorded under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code denied the allegations and claimed innocence. They asked the court to acquit them.

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