Dhaka, Jun 07 (V7N) – A Dhaka court has sentenced Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Khatun, to death in the widely discussed rape and murder case of eight-year-old Ramisa Akhter in the capital's Pallabi area.
Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Prevention Tribunal delivered the verdict on Sunday. The court also fined Sohel Rana Tk 500,000 and Swapna Khatun Tk 200,000.
In the judgment, which was read out over nearly 40 minutes, the tribunal said the prosecution had successfully proven that Sohel Rana raped the child before killing her. The court observed that evidence, witness testimonies and the accused's confession established the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the verdict, Sohel Rana admitted responsibility for the rape and murder of Ramisa in his statement before the court. The tribunal also found that his wife, Swapna Khatun, assisted him in escaping after the crime and was therefore equally culpable.
The court noted that no application was filed seeking withdrawal of the confession after it was recorded. It further remarked that failure to impose appropriate punishment in such a brutal crime would amount to a failure of justice.
The tribunal also observed that the nature of the offence left no scope for reform and warranted the highest punishment under the law.
Security was tightened around the court premises ahead of the verdict. The two convicts were brought to court at around 8:30 am and kept in the lockup of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court before being produced before the tribunal.
The hearing of final arguments from both the prosecution and defense concluded on June 4, after which the court fixed June 7 for pronouncement of the verdict.
The case attracted nationwide attention due to the speed of the judicial proceedings. According to court officials, the trial was completed within four days, making it the first rape and murder case in Bangladesh to be concluded within such a short period. A total of 16 witnesses testified during the trial.
The case began on May 19 when the body of second-grade student Ramisa Akhter was recovered from the residence of her neighbor, Sohel Rana, in Pallabi.
The following day, Ramisa's father filed a case with Pallabi Police Station. Police arrested the accused within seven hours of the incident and submitted a charge sheet to the court six days later.
The trial formally began on June 1. On June 2, testimonies from 16 individuals, including members of the victim's family, witnesses, police officers, doctors and the investigating officer, were recorded before the tribunal.
The verdict marks the conclusion of one of the most closely watched criminal cases in recent years and has drawn widespread public attention across the country.
END/SMA/AJ
