Haroon Akhtar, 28, has been found guilty today for treating his young 20 year old wife as a ‘slave’ and for constantly beating her. His mother Zafia Bibi has also been found guilty for causing fear of violence and harassment. Akhtar has been found guilty on five counts of actual bodily harm.
Sania Bibi, the young wife, came from Pakistan for an arranged marriage to Haroon Akhtar. She lived with Akhtar’s family and was forced to work 17 hours per day doing household chores for his family.
Her mother–in–law threatened to send Sania back to Pakistan and arrange for her to be shot in the head if she did not comply with the family’s orders. Sania’s husband beat her twice a day, before and after coming back from work. Despite Sania being constantly terrorised by her husband’s family, she was told by her own relatives that she could not return back to them, as she had to uphold ‘family honour’ since she was now the property of her husband’s family.
Prosecutor George Heimler said Sania had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. Both Haroon Akhtar and Zafia Bibi will be sentenced on the 11th of September. The Judge, Martin Griffiths, told Akhtar: "These offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence can be considered."
Further details can be accessed here.
