Court extends bail of suspect’s mother in Sarah murder case

ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad has extended the interim bail of Samina Shah till Oct.3 in the Sarah Inam murder case in which her son Shahnawaz Amir is the prime suspect.

Additional Sessions Judge Sheikh Muhammad Sohail on Saturday heard the petition filed by Samina Shah seeking extension in her pre-arrest bail.

Accepting her application, the judge gave an extension in her interim bail till Monday.

During the hearing, the investigation officer submited the case record to the court.

Samina Shah appeared before the court along with her lawyer Arsal Amjad Hashmi.

The lawyer told the court that accused (Shahnawaz) sent a Whatsapp message to his mother Samina asking her to talk to the family of his wife Sarah about her Rukhsati (formal wedding). Ater that Samina went to sleep and was unaware what happened in the night, the lawyer added.

Hashmi continued that his client Samina got a call at 9:12am in which she was asked to reach Shahnawaz’s room.

But when she reached there, Sarah had been murdered, he said adding that his client’s role in the whole episode was only that she had to make her son sit in the room and call the police. Ater her call, police came and arrested the accused.

During the hearing, the Investigation Officer (IO) told the court that Sarah’s family which has come from Canada would record their statement before the police.

Ater this, the judge extended Samina’s interim bail till Oct.3.

On Sept.26, Additional Sessions Judge Sheikh Sohail heard the pre-arrest bail petition of accused Samina and granted her an interim bail for three days. However, the judge directed the renowned journalist Ayaz Amir’s wife to participate in the investigation process. The judge also asked her to submit a surety bond worth Rs50,000.

In her petition, Samina had beseeched the court to accept her pre-arrest bail plea as she was facing health issues.