A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced four persons to death in a case filed over killing a schoolgirl, Zakia Akter Champa, after raping her in Faridpur in 2012.
The four convicts Shamim Mondol, Akash Mondol, Jahid Hasan and Md Babul Hossain Rajib were also fined Tk20,000 each under section 302/34 of the Penal Code.
Judge Abdur Rahman Sarder of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 examined 30 out of 32 prosecution witnesses before sentencing the four to life term imprisonment and fined Tk1 lakh each, in default, to suffer three months more rigorous imprisonment under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
During the delivery of the judgement, two convicts – Shamim and Jihad – appeared before the court, while the others – Akash and Babul – are still on the run.
Meanwhile, the tribunal acquitted another accused, Mousumi Akhter Sumi, as the charges brought against her were not proved.
In his observation, the judge said: “The four convicts hanged the victim’s body from a tree after brutally raping and killing her by strangulation in cold-blood. If the accused are not given exemplary punishment in such case, the nation as well as society will not be rid of such a curse.”
The judge also found negligence from authorities concerned including police, doctors, and prosecution lawyers throughout different stages of the case.
“Since filing the case, a force behind the scene tried to influence in different stages including the investigation of the case. Even the prosecution lawyers were also not working properly as they did not produce a number of samples of the murder during the trial proceedings,” the judge added.
According to case documents, 13-year-old Zakia Akter Champa, a class-nine student at Pordia Girls High School in Kanaipur union and a resident of Kashimabad village, had an affair with one of the convicts, Shamim Mondol. He had proposed the victim’s family to marry Champa, but it was rejected.
Following the refusal, Shamim and his three associates – Jihad, Babul and Akash – forcibly took the girl from a wedding ceremony at her relative’s house. They took her to a garden in the village and gang-raped her on the night of December 13, 2012. Later, they strangulated the girl and hanged her body from a tree.
On December 15, 2012, victim’s brother Hasibul Islam filed a case with Kotwali police station against unidentified people.
On December 18, police arrested Babul Hossain, who later confessed to having link to the killing.
Sub-Inspector Abul Khayer Sheikh, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet with the district court against the five accused on May 20, 2013.
On November 26, 2014, the district court transferred the case to the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal for its quick disposal.