The parents of two children ? who had died last year after consuming food from an upscale restaurant ? told the court on Monday that they had forgiven those responsible and did not want to initiate further action against the suspects. The court ordered copies of the settlement to be submitted to the trial court.
The minor brothers, Ahmad, 1.5-years-old, and Muhammad, 5-years-old, had died in November 2018 after the family dined out at Zamzama’s Arizona Grill restaurant and afterwards consumed a candy from a shop outside an amusement park on Sea view. The children had started vomiting after consuming food which caused dehydration, kidney failure and eventually death.
Police had initiated a probe into the matter and the restaurant was sealed for forensic investigation. Around 60 samples of food were collected from the restaurant as well as from the bodies to be sent to Punjab Forensic Science Agency and SGS Korangi for inspection.
A Sindh High Court bench on Monday resumed hearing the bail application of two suspects arrested in the case. Parents of the deceased children, while appearing in court today, told that they had forgiven those responsible and did not wish to take any further action. The lawyer representing the restaurant also updated the court about a compromise reached between contending parties.
A lab report was submitted in court today by Sindh Food Authority (SFA) which concluded that the children had died of poisoning owing to a high quantity of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria found in the expired meat. SFA had discovered a warehouse, where the restaurant’s staff had allegedly stored expired meat and other inventory. The meat was found to have been imported in 2014 and according to the inscription on the packets; it was supposed to have been used by February 24, 2015.
Published in Daily Times, January 15th 2019.
