In Brief
A 25-year-old man was convicted of kidnapping, raping, and murdering a 2-year-old girl. Medical and DNA evidence conclusively proved his guilt. The trial court and High Court imposed death sentence, finding it a 'rarest of the rare' case. On appeal, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction but commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment. The Court held that while the crime was heinous, mitigating factors—the appellant's youth, lack of prior criminal history, evidence of intoxication, poverty, and the absence of proof that he is beyond reform—outweighed aggravating circumstances. Ordinarily, death penalty should not be imposed in cases based on circumstantial evidence unless clear evidence shows the convict cannot be reformed.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.