Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of eight convicts in a case filed for killing school-girl Smrity Debnath Sima after rape during a robbery in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila in 2012.
Besides, the HC commuted the death penalty of two other convicts to life imprisonment.
The eight death convicts are Hiron, 24, Manik, 30, Rashed, 25, Sumon, 20, Hedayet Ullah Hedu, 50, Nurnabi, 27, Saddam Hossain alias Rubel, 19, Nur-e Alam alias Nuru, 22. Among them, Manik, Rashed, Sumon and Rubel have been absconding.
Those got their sentence commuted are Anwar Hossain, and Sohel. Sohel is also on the run.
An HC Bench of Justice Bhabani Prasad Sinha and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah delivered the verdict after hearing the death reference and appeals filed by the convicts.
Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared in the court on behalf of the accused, while Deputy Attorney General Md Aminul Islam Khan stood for the State.
Earlier, on September 16, 2014, a Lakshmipur court sentenced 10 people to death and fined them Tk 1 lakh each in the murder case.
Session’s Judge Manjurul Basit handed down the verdict acquitting 15 others as allegations brought against them were not proved.
After declaring the trial court’s verdict, the convicted persons appealed with the High Court seeking acquittal from the charge and at the same time death references of the convicts came to the High Court for approval.
After hearing appeals and death references, the High Court delivered its verdict yesterday.
According to the case statement, a gang of robbers, numbering 25-30, swooped on the house of Smrity Debnath Sima at Basudouhita village under Chandraganj Union in Sadar Upazila of Lakshmipur on July 18, 2012 and looted valuables worth Tk 5 lakh after holding the house inmates hostage at gunpoint.
The bandits strangulated Smrity Debnath Sima, then a Class-VII student of Protapganj High School, after violating her.
Victim’s grandfather Krishna Lal Debnath filed a case the following day in this regard. Police pressed charges against 24 accused on March 25, 2013.
The High Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of eight convicts in a case filed for killing school-girl Smrity Debnath Sima after rape during a robbery in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila in 2012.
Besides, the HC commuted the death penalty of two other convicts to life imprisonment.
The eight death convicts are Hiron, 24, Manik, 30, Rashed, 25, Sumon, 20, Hedayet Ullah Hedu, 50, Nurnabi, 27, Saddam Hossain alias Rubel, 19, Nur-e Alam alias Nuru, 22. Among them, Manik, Rashed, Sumon and Rubel have been absconding.
Those got their sentence commuted are Anwar Hossain, and Sohel. Sohel is also on the run.
An HC Bench of Justice Bhabani Prasad Sinha and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah delivered the verdict after hearing the death reference and appeals filed by the convicts.
Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared in the court on behalf of the accused, while Deputy Attorney General Md Aminul Islam Khan stood for the State.
Earlier, on September 16, 2014, a Lakshmipur court sentenced 10 people to death and fined them Tk 1 lakh each in the murder case.
Session’s Judge Manjurul Basit handed down the verdict acquitting 15 others as allegations brought against them were not proved.
After declaring the trial court’s verdict, the convicted persons appealed with the High Court seeking acquittal from the charge and at the same time death references of the convicts came to the High Court for approval.
After hearing appeals and death references, the High Court delivered its verdict yesterday.
According to the case statement, a gang of robbers, numbering 25-30, swooped on the house of Smrity Debnath Sima at Basudouhita village under Chandraganj Union in Sadar Upazila of Lakshmipur on July 18, 2012 and looted valuables worth Tk 5 lakh after holding the house inmates hostage at gunpoint.
The bandits strangulated Smrity Debnath Sima, then a Class-VII student of Protapganj High School, after violating her.
Victim’s grandfather Krishna Lal Debnath filed a case the following day in this regard. Police pressed charges against 24 accused on March 25, 2013.
