Saudi embassy official murder: SC confirms death penalty for 1, life sentence for 3

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has upheld the High Court verdict that sentenced one to death and three others to life in prison for killing a Saudi embassy official. A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by acting chief justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, gave the verdict Wednesday morning. The apex court started hearing on the appeals in the Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali murder case on October 17. On March 5, 2012, Khalaf, 45, was gunned down inside the diplomatic zone in Gulshan. Later, he died at United Hospital the following day. Two days after the murder, a case was filed with Gulshan police station. On June 4, a team of Detective Branch of police arrested Saiful Islam Mamun, Md Al Amin and Akbar Ali Lalu from the city’s Dakkhinkhan area in connection with the murder.  Later, police also arrested Rafiqul Islam. Four people were shown arrested in the case. Later, Mamun and Al Amin gave confessional statement. On December, 30, 2012, Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 sentenced five people to death. Among them, Selim Chowdhury was still on the run at the time. On November 18, 2013, the High Court acquitted Selim Chowdhury, commuted death sentence of three other accused to life term jail and upheld the death sentence of Saiful. Later, the state filed the appeal against the order in 2014.