Pakistan Supreme Court: A Full Bench comprising of Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, JJ. dismissed a criminal appeal against the order of the Peshawar High Court where a Nigerian national was convicted under Section 9(c) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997.
In the instant case, the respondent (a Nigerian national) was caught by the contingent of Anti Narcotics Force along with 25 kilograms of heroin. He faced trial before the Special Court (CNS) who returned with a verdict of guilty. He was convicted under Section 9(c) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997 and was sentenced to imprisonment for life and a fine of rupees one million or five-year simple imprisonment in case of default. He appealed to the Peshawar High Court which acquitted him from the charge primarily on the ground that, contraband allegedly recovered was destroyed in violation of procedure provided under Section 516 A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. Aggrieved thereby, the State filed the instant criminal appeal.
Mr Muhammad Tariq Khan, learned ASC for the State contended that the destruction of the contraband under magisterial supervision ruled out the possibility of any foul play and thus strict non-compliance with the suggested procedure would not vitiate respondent’s culpability which was otherwise firmly established through massive evidence.
The Court held, “We would abstain to examine the vires of arguments raised before us in absence of the respondent, a Nigerian national, reported to have left Pakistan as in his absence the exercise would be merely an academic discussion without consequential impact.” Further, it was held, “we find it inexpedient to interfere with the impugned judgment as in the event of a reversal of the impugned view, a cumbersome procedure of respondent’s extradition would be a process far from convenient.” Thus, the appeal was dismissed.[State v. Olufemi, 2019 SCC OnLine Pak SC 7, decided on 28-03-2019]
