An elderly woman from Turbat has been sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking over 10 kilograms of opium by a model court. The verdict was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Ameeruddin of the Model Criminal Trial Court (West), who carefully considered the evidence and arguments from both sides. The judge imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000, with an additional six-month imprisonment if the fine is not paid.
The judge acknowledged the rarity of an elderly woman facing such a serious criminal charge, stating that it is exceptionally challenging for her. The woman was immediately taken to prison to serve her sentence. The court took into account the provision of Section 382-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which considers the period of detention when awarding the sentence.
Considering the woman’s unique challenges as an elderly offender with health issues and gender-related factors, the judge regarded them as mitigating circumstances, resulting in a lesser punishment.Â
The judge emphasized the strong evidence provided by the prosecution, proving the woman’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In narcotics cases, the courts are expected to take a proactive approach and not acquit based on technicalities. The defense counsel raised some inconsistencies in the evidence, but they were insufficient to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case.
According to the prosecution, reliable intelligence led the Site-A police to intercept a rickshaw transporting narcotics. During the search, 10.4 kilograms of opium were seized from the woman. The accused claimed innocence, alleging that the drugs were planted by the police. However, she failed to provide a valid reason for why the police would frame her with such a large quantity of narcotics.Â
