Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 18
A court ruling today awarded 7 years rigorous imprisonment to three persons while two others were acquitted in the case relating to the attempt on life of Dr Maongwati, committed on 27 May, 2004 at the Dimapur Civil Hospital compound. Passing the verdict to a packed courtroom, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Judicial), Dimapur, Mayang Lima said, “The instant crime was committed by the accused persons for their personal monetary gain on an innocent and hapless doctor, a case of hiring assassins to assassinate, which is the first of its kind in the criminal history of the State, therefore, a rarest of rare cases and it has shocked the collective conscience of the Society as a whole, causing extreme indignation.”
If such a trend is not nipped in the bud by awarding adequate sentence, the public’s confidence in the efficacy of the law will be eroded, the ADC (J) advocated.
Kivi Zhimomi, SS Sergeant, Major Tokishe alias Vitoxu Shohe and SS Captain Kadi Poumai were read the imprisonment sentence and booked under section 307/326 of the India Penal Code and Section 25 (1-A) of the Arms Act. Shekiyi Awomi and Kaiho Zhimomi were given the benefit of doubt and acquitted from the criminal liability of the case for want of sufficient evidence.
Four other culprits, however, are still absconding and the failure of their arrests is keeping the identity of the person who hired the assassins a mystery. SS Major Honreishang, SS Captain Zhuheto, SS Tatar Kiyekhu Awomi and Vishika are yet to be apprehended though warrants have been served against them, a court statement said. The trial in respect of the absconding accused persons is to resume on execution of the issued process by the Superintendent of Police, Dimapur who is at liberty to file additional documents, evidences and (or) charges on arrest of the absconders.
The Additional Public Prosecutor was earlier informed by the Ao Union Dimapur to the effect that they had definite information that all of the absconding persons were hiding at Camp Hebron, a base of the NSCN (IM). Lamentably, till date the warrants have not been executed and returned by the Police to the court, on the plea that the permission of the State Government is awaited for the Police to enter the designated camp of the NSCN (IM).
Scores of people belonging to the Ao community gathered near the premises of the court to demand for justice. They came pouring into the premises of the court minutes before today’s verdict was read. The protestors demanding justice for the doctor who was paralyzed waist-down after he was shot, want affirmative action to be taken against the other perpetrators of the crime. They also want the person responsible for hiring the culprits to be identified and arrested accordingly.
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