In yet another instance of the justice system’s failure, a woman who passed away while in prison seven month ago has been exonerated by a court in Karachi. The woman, who was accused of murder, had spent almost a year and a half in jail, languishing with cancer, kidney and abdominal issues before she died.
“Our sister died right before us while suffering in jail […] we are poor people, what could have we done for her? We were helpless,” the woman’s relatives lamented following the court’s ruling.
Salima Farhan, aged 35, was incarcerated in February 2020 for allegedly poisoning her neighbor and friend, according to a report from Geo TV.
During her time in jail, Salima suffered various medical ailments. After multiple requests from her lawyers, she was finally sent to Civil Hospital on an ’emergency basis due to abdominal pain.’
She was then returned to prison, where she died shortly after on June 14, 2021.
The judge determined that the jail authorities had ‘failed’ in their duty to provide medical care to prisoners. He requested investigation officers take appropriate action against them.
Salima was ultimately found not guilty on January 10 of this year. As part of the investigation, the decedent’s body had been exhumed. It was found that the victim died due to zinc phosphide, often found in rat poison, but there was insufficient evidence to prove whether she had been maliciously poisoned, or had ingested it herself.
Salima’s family thanked the court, stating that the judge had finally ‘served us justice.’
