Staff Reporter :
Senior jurist Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain on Wednesday raised question over the confessional statement given by Aysha Siddika Minni, wife of Rifat Sharif killed in broad daylight in Barguna town.
The lawyer said, “Minni had been sent to remand under police custody. After the remand, a confessional statement was taken from her. But how much of it is true, and how much of it is false, can be seen in the trial process.” Khandker Mahbub said, “If a confessional statement is taken from someone during remand time, he/she must be produced in the court as if she could say she was tortured or not while on remand. This is our Supreme Court directive that if torture has been committed, legal action should be taken against the concerned police officer.”
“But after the so called confessional statement, she was not taken to court, rather sent directly to jail. Her lawyer pleaded that he wants to withdraw the confessional statement, so she needed to produce in the court. But she was not brought-this is how the law is violated,” he added.
He was briefing to the journalists yesterday in the Supreme Court premises on the issue.
Khandker Mahbub Hossain said, “If she (Minni) is denied bail and if the issue comes to the High Court, we will protest against the denial. It’s not a big deal who’s guilty and who’s not guilty. We want to be judged according to the law, punished according to the law.”
Asked whether Minni would provide legal assistance when the matter comes in the High Court, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain said, “Of course. We will see so that the trial is done properly and justice can be done. We will see so that the trial cannot be biased by political influence.”
On July 19, Aysha Siddika Minni confessed in a Barguna court to her involvement in the murder, police official said.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Sirajul Islam Gazi of Barguna recorded her confessional statement under Section 164, Inspector Humayun Kabir, who is investigating the case, told the reporters.
After recording Minni’s statement for three hours, the court sent her to jail, the Inspector said.
“As Minni agreed to give her confessional statement in the court, we produced her in the court before completion of her remand,” he said.
However, the Investigation Officer did not reveal what Minni told the court in her confession.
But Minni’s father, Mozammel Hossain Kishor, alleged that his daughter gave confessional statement under pressure.
Fifteen suspects, including the victim’s widow Minni, have been arrested so far in the case.
Earlier, police arrested Minni on July 16 after a daylong interrogation and produced her in the court for remand the following day.
