Testimony recording deferred again in the Banani rape case

A Dhaka court once again deferred the recording of prosecution witnesses testimonies to October 8, for the Banani rape case on Sunday. Acting Judge Joyshree Samaddar, deferred the hearing as the regular Judge Shafiul Azam of Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2 was not present at court on Sunday. On July 13, the tribunal framed charges against the five accused but did not record their testimony. Earlier, the court had also deferred the recording of depositions against the accused twice, once on July 24 and then on August 6. The five accused were produced before the court from the prison during the hearing. Shafat and Nayem Ashraf were charged for rape while Shadman Sakif, Shafat’s driver Billal Hossain and bodyguard Rahmat Ali were charged as accomplice to the crime. On June 11, the case was transferred to the tribunal from the court of Dhaka chief Metropolitan Magistrates court.