A Dhaka court has fixed November 12 for delivering its verdict in Special Branch Inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman murder case.
Judge Syed Ahmed of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 Wednesday fixed the date on completion of the argument in defence of Oishee Rahman, who is the prime accused in the 2013 murder of her parents, and her two friends.
Defending Oishee at the court during the last hearing, her lawyer Faruk said the prosecution had not produced proper witness for the case.
Referring to Mahfuzur's brother Mashiur Rahman's testimony, Faruk argued that since Oishee was a minor when the murders took place, her trial must be held at a juvenile court instead of a general court, as per the law.
Mashiur, who is the plaintiff in the case, said during his testimony that his brother had gotten married in 1994 and Oishee was born after two years, so she was not an adult at the time of the murders and therefore should be tried under a juvenile court.
Faruk further said: ‘‘Since she was addicted drugs at the time, she should be released as per Section 85 of the Penal Code.”
Earlier on October 13, Oishee claimed that she had not killed her parents.
In her written statement, she said the male police members who had interrogated her during her remand had tortured her into giving a confessional statement.
Read more: Oishee pleads innocence in her parents’ murder case
On October 7, the tribunal concluded recording the depositions of prosecution witnesses in the sensational murder case. A total 39 out of 57 prosecution witnesses testified in the case.
According to the case statement, the bodies of Mahfuzur and Swapna were found at their Chamelibagh residence on August 16, 2013.
Oishee, who had taken her O-level examination, surrendered at Paltan police station the following day.
Read also: Defence argument begins in Oishee case
Later, police arrested their house help Khadiza Khatun Sumi, and Oishee’s friends Jony and Rony.
Two charge sheets were submitted on March 9 last year – one pressed against Oishee and her two friends while the other against Sumi who is under 18. Sumi’s trial proceeding is under way at a juvenile court in Dhaka.
According to the charge sheets, Oishee alone killed her parents while Jony instigated the murders and Rony gave her shelter after the incident. Sumi has been accused of assisting Oishee in concealing the bodies.
