Shahnawaz Amir, the main suspect in the murder of Sara Inam, was sentenced to death and fined Rs1 million by an Islamabad sessions court on Thursday. The judge, Nasir Javed Rana, also acquitted the co-accused, Samina Shah, who is the convict’s mother.
Sara Inam, a Canadian national, was brutally killed by her husband, Shahnawaz, on September 22, 2022. Postmortem results revealed multiple skull fractures as the cause of death. Speaking to the media, Sara’s father expressed partial satisfaction with the verdict, stating that while it’s good the prime accused was convicted, he believed the mother should not have been acquitted.
Read more: Sarah Inam murder: Court indicts Shahnawaz Amir and mother
The victim’s father pointed out that the murder occurred before midnight, and it was implausible that the mother, Samina, did not hear Sara’s screams. He emphasized that if Samina had intervened, Sara might have been injured but alive. Reflecting on the family’s struggles since the murder, the father tearfully mentioned the constant reminder of Sara’s presence in their home.
Stressing the importance of implementing Shahnawaz’s death sentence, the father expressed concern that without proper enforcement, the tragedy might be forgotten. He reiterated his belief that Samina should have been convicted, asserting that she is not innocent.
Read more: Sarah Inam murder: Shahnawaz Amir’s mother arrested
Shahnawaz confessed to the crime during the investigation, stating that the murder occurred after a heated conversation with Sara over the phone. He claimed to have divorced her and said she demanded money upon reaching Islamabad. The police challan detailed that the suspect first injured Sara with a showpiece and then fatally attacked her with a dumbbell in their farmhouse.
Shahnawaz was arrested on September 23, 2022, and Samina was imprisoned on October 19 but later granted bail on November 2, 2022.
