| Case ID |
de7ed063-12e0-47cd-a39e-6edfa55737dd |
| Body |
View case body. Login to View |
| Case Number |
Criminal Appeal No.157 of 2003 |
| Decision Date |
Mar 10, 2008 |
| Hearing Date |
Mar 06, 2008 |
| Decision |
The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for Muhammad Latif, who was convicted of the murders of three individuals, including a four-month-old baby. The court found that circumstantial evidence and the appellant's own disclosures were sufficient to affirm the conviction. The court emphasized that while motive is often difficult to prove, it is primarily known to the accused and that the prosecution's failure to establish motive does not preclude a conviction if the evidence is otherwise compelling. The court dismissed the appeal, maintaining the sentence of death. |
| Summary |
In the case of Muhammad Latif vs. The State, the Supreme Court of Pakistan addressed the complex issues surrounding motive and circumstantial evidence in criminal law. The appellant was convicted for the brutal murder of three individuals, including a baby, and sentenced to death. The court highlighted that while proving motive can be challenging, it is not a prerequisite for a conviction if strong circumstantial evidence exists. The court's ruling reinforces the principle that the real motive is often known only to the accused, and failure to prove it does not negate the prosecution's case if the evidence is compelling. This case serves as a pivotal reference point in discussions of criminal justice, particularly in the context of capital punishment and the standards of evidence required for conviction. Keywords such as 'capital punishment', 'circumstantial evidence', and 'criminal justice' are crucial for understanding the implications of this landmark decision. |
| Court |
Supreme Court of Pakistan
|
| Entities Involved |
Not available
|
| Judges |
M. Javed Buttar,
Mian Hamid Farooq,
Sheikh Hakim Ali
|
| Lawyers |
Javed Aziz Sindhu,
Muhammad Ilyas Siddiqui
|
| Petitioners |
Muhammad Latif
|
| Respondents |
The State
|
| Citations |
2008 SLD 1975,
2008 PLD 503
|
| Other Citations |
Nawaz Ali and another v. The State 2001 SCMR 726,
Muhammad Ashraf v. The State 2001 SCMR 73,
Federal Government Ministry of Defence v. Sepoy Liaqat Ali 2004 SCMR 1676,
Mukhtar Ahmad and others v. The State PLD 2004 SC 563,
Muhammad Akbar and another v. The State PLD 2004 SC 44,
Khurram Malik and others v. The State and others PLD 2006 SC 354,
Mst. Nazakat v. Hazrat Jamal and another PLD 2007 SC 453,
Khuda Bukhsh v. The State 2004 SCMR 331,
Faisal v. The State 2007 SCMR 58,
Sheraz Tufail v. The State 2007 SCMR 518,
Israr Ali v. The State 2007 SCMR 525,
Binyamin alias Khari and others v. The State 2007 SCMR 78,
Ghulam Nabi v. The State 2007 SCMR 808,
Muhammad Akhtar v. The State 2007 SCMR 876
|
| Laws Involved |
Penal Code (XLV of 1860),
Anti-Terrorism Act (XXVII of 1997)
|
| Sections |
302(b),
7-1(a)
|