Islamabad: A trial court of Islamabad on Thursday sent the main accused in the murder case of Sarah Inam, a Canadian citizen of Pakistan’s origin, to 14-day judicial remand.
The court granted police the judicial custody of Shahnawaz Amir, Sarah’s husband and the alleged killer upon expiry of his physical remand and after the police submitted it did not require his physical remand any more.
Shahnawaz was arrested on September 23 for allegedly killing his wife at a farmhouse in Islamabad Shahzad Town, where they lived. Shahnawaz’ mother Sameena Shah also lived with them.
Initially, Shahnawaz’ father an well-known Pakistani journalist and columnist Ayaz Amir was also arrested by the police for his role in the murder but later the later court cleared Ayaz Amir of charges.
Earlier, Shahnawaz was remanded to police custody a day after his arrest and later the police got his physical remand extended for several times.
On Thursday, Shahnawaz was presented before the court and the police told the court it didn’t require any more physical remand.
The court accepted the police request and sent Shahnawaz to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
Family to remain in Islamabad till case resolved
Addressing a news conference a day earlier, Sarah Inam’s father, Inamur Rehman, said his family would stay in the capital till the completion of the trial.
“We have come from Canada and will stay in Islamabad till justice is carried out and the accused is sentenced,” said Inam while talking to newsmen.
Sarah’s two brothers, along with relatives, were devastated at the news of the murder of their sister and called her husband a tormentor and extortionist who trapped her for the sake of money.
Shahnawaz, said Sarah’s father, enticed Sarah into marrying him and later started extorting money from her. Sarah lived and worked in a Gulf country.
Earlier, she had been working in Canada and was also associated with the USAID.
Family shocked
According to Inam, about eight to 10 weeks ago, she informed the family that she was in a relationship with someone and wanted to get married. Our first reaction was of shock when we learned that she was marrying a guy in the last week of July this year.
After finding out that her groom is the son of Ayaz Amir, a renowned journalist and columnist of Pakistan, we were relieved, he said, adding that later his mother talked to them on the phone and praised Sarah.
It was agreed that both of them would continue to live where they were living Sarah in the Gulf country and Shahnawaz in Pakistan. Gradually, he started demanding money from Sarah and the family came to the conclusion that he was an extortionist, said Inam.
He said that she came to Pakistan once or twice but the family was not aware of it. Shahnawaz murdered her and it was all preplanned, Inam said. He, however, clarified there were only three people in the farmhouse and Ayaz Amir was not there at the time of the murder.
Sarah was Shahnawaz's third wife. His earlier two marriages had failed due to his alleged eccentric behaviour and violent nature.
We want justice from the Pakistani judicial system, he said, adding that our counsel thinks that the case against Shahnawaz was strong because there was substantial evidence. We are satisfied with the police and the investigation over the case, Inam added.
According to the first information report (FIR) the suspect’s mother Sameena Shah called the police and informed that Shahnawaz had murdered his wife “with a dumbbell”.
“My son has locked himself from inside and has hidden the body,” the FIR quoted Sameena as saying, adding that the police subsequently raided the house.
“Shahnawaz had locked himself up in his room. When the police broke inside, there were stains of blood on Shahnawaz’s hands and clothes,” the FIR says. He had hidden the body of Sarah inside the washroom while the murder weapon under his bed, said the FIR.
