MAZAR-I-SHARIF - The urban court in northern Balkh province on Saturday sentenced four persons to 15 years in jail each over kidnapping a child.
The court handed down the sentences at an open hearing in Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital. Besides parties to the case, journalists and common people were also present at the trial.
Judge Wajihuddin sentenced all the four accused Mohammad Bashir, Mohammad Asif, Mirwais and Mohammad Arif to 15 years in jail each under clause four of the anti-kidnapping and smuggling law.
One of the convicts, Mohammad Bashir, told Pajhwok Afghan News the verdict was not acceptable to him. He accused the prosecutor of falsely implicating him in the case.
He claimed police used torture to coerce him into making false confessions that were cited before the court.
Father of the 11-year-old Mustafa, who was kidnapped, said he was satisfied with the ruling. He named the four convicts and said they kidnapped his son on his way to school before the month of Ramadan.
He said the government should continue punishing such criminals in order others learn a lesson.
A resident of Mazar-Sharif, Mohammad Rafique, who attended the trial, appeared convinced with the verdict.
He said if the government kept silence over crimes and took wrong decisions, it would deny justice to the victims. He said keeping silence against injustice fueled crimes.(Pajhwok)