Staff Reporter:
A special tribunal in Dhaka today goes for arguments in a case lodged over the rape and murder of sec-ond-grade student Ramisa Akter in the city’s Pallabi area last month.
Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children’s Violence Suppression Tribunal passed the order this noon as both the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, gave their self-defence statements before the court yesterday.
During the hearing on their self-defence submissions, Sohel Rana apologised before the judge, while his wife Swapna Akter maintained her complete innocence and sought justice, bench official Pankaj Peter Gomez told .
Earlier on June 2, the tribunal completed recording depositions of prosecution witnesses (PWs) in the case. Sixteen out of the total 18 PWs testified and were subsequently cross-examined by the defence.
Ramisa’s father and complainant Abdul Hannan Mollah, mother Pervin Akter, sister Raisa Akter, aunt Mahmuda Akter, uncles Mizanur Rahman Liton and Moniruzzaman Shahin, neighbours Monir Hossain, Zakirul Islam Raju and Sheikh Abu Sama, constables Roma Akter and Sharif Miah, sub-inspector Iqbal Hossain (who prepared the inquest report), Dr Nasad Jabin (who prepared the autopsy report), Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Zunayed (who recorded the confessional statement of the alleged killer Sohel Rana), sub-inspector Rashedul Islam and investigation officer sub-inspector Wahiduzzaman appeared before the court and testified as prosecution witnesses. They were later cross-examined by state-appointed defence counsel Musa Kalimullah.
The tribunal on June 1 framed charges in the case.
Ramisa, a Class-II student of Popular Model High School, was allegedly raped and beheaded by her neighbour Sohel Rana at his flat in the Millat Camp area of Pallabi on May 19. Ramisa’s father filed the case the following day.
The government on May 23 appointed Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu as Special Public Prosecutor to conduct the trial on behalf of the state before the Dhaka Metropolitan Children’s Violence Suppression Tribunal, a recently constituted tribunal dealing exclusively with cases of violence against children.
The appointment came shortly after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced that the maximum pun-ishment for Ramisa’s killer would be ensured within one month.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman also said the government is commit-ted to ensuring a speedy trial in the Ramisa murder case.
Police on May 24 submitted a charge sheet against alleged rapist and killer Sohel Rana and his wife and alleged accomplice Swapna Akter.
The government on the same day appointed Advocate Musa Kalimullah as state defence counsel to repre-sent the accused before the tribunal.
