The father and stepmother of Sara Sharif were declared guilty of the brutal murder of the 10-year-old girl after a trial in the UK.
Sara was found dead in August 2023 in her home in Woking, southwest of London, following what prosecutors described as a prolonged repeated violence.
The child had suffered numerous injuries, including burns, broken bones, and bite marks, prosecutors said.
Her family fled to Pakistan immediately after her death but was arrested in September 2023 at Gatwick Airport after returning from Dubai.
Following the arrest, both – Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30 – were presented before London’s Old Bailey court against Sara’s murder charge, which they denied.
During the trial, prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones revealed that Urfan had called the police and admitted, “It wasn’t my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much.”
Initially denying responsibility, Urfan later took full responsibility for his daughter’s death under questioning.
Meanwhile, Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of causing or allowing Sara’s death.
Batool’s defense claimed she was a victim of Urfan’s controlling behavior, and she did not testify during the trial.
Urfan and Batool are scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024.
Source: Dawn
