TikTokers’ murder case: Man, woman to contest charges

KARACHI: Abdul Rehman and Sawera, the alleged killers of four TikToker friends in the port city, have decided to contest murder charges against them.

According to sources, the suspect Abdul Rehman had allegedly killed four victims — Muskan Sheikh, Amir Khan, Rehan Shah and Saddam Hussain — on February 1, 2021, when Sawera, another TikToker who also used to make videos with the victims, encouraged him.

A case was registered against the two at Nabi Bukhsha police station. In June, the police had submitted a charge sheet against Rehman and Sawera under Sections 302, 201, 202, 112 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The charges against them include premeditated murder, causing disappearance of evidence of the offence, or giving false information to screen offender, intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform, abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for the act done and common intention.

The matter recently came up before the Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Faraz Ahmed Chandio for the indictment of the accused.

The judge read out the charges against them. They, however, pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case.
The judge also issued bailable warrants for the arrest of the prosecution witnesses. He directed the investigating officer to arrest them and produce them before the court on October 30.

The murder mystery

According to details, Sheikh had contacts with Rehman, and they used to make TikTok videos. Later, Sheikh developed contacts with Khan, and their association became a cause of her rift with Rehman. However, the matter was settled through a “jirga”, according to the prosecution.

The prosecution mentioned that on the night of the murders, Rehman took Sawera to the Al-Sajjad Restaurant, located at the Sea View in DHA, for making videos and then uploaded them to TikTok. Later, Sawera and Khan made videos at the residence of Hussain and uploaded them on TikTok too, stated the prosecution.

After some time, said the prosecution, Khan, Hussain and Shah went to the house of the Sawera, where they reportedly quarrelled with each other. According to the prosecution, Sawera phoned Rehman, who telephoned Muskan and abused her for visiting Sawera’s house.

The prosecution said CCTV footage showed Rehman on a motorcycle at the crime scene at around 5am where the victims were seen arriving in a car, getting off and talking to Rehman.

The footage showed the Tiktokers indulging in a fistfight with Rehman, who suddenly pulled out a pistol and opened fire at them before the victims fell on the ground. The attacker was then seen fleeing on his motorcycle towards Garden Road, the report said.

Given the location of the mobile phone of Rehman and other circumstantial evidence, he was found involved in the murder of the Tiktokers. “Rehman is a habitual criminal, who had contacts with drugs peddlers,” the prosecution added.

Sawera instigated Rehman to commit the crime. To conceal her offence, Sawera also deleted the data from her cell phone, which she later switched off, said the prosecution.