Neighbour gets death for rape, murder of 7-year-old

A court has convicted and sentenced a man to death in a case lodged for raping and subsequently murdering his neighbour's 7-year-old daughter over a previous enmity in the Matuail area under Jatrabari Police Station in the capital.

The convict is Md Rafikul Islam, 27, son of Abul Kalam of Gopinathpur under Phulchari Police Station of Gaibandha.

Judge Roksana Begum Happy of Women & Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 of Dhaka pronounced the judgment in the presence of the convict on Thursday and sent him back to jail with a conviction warrant. The court also fined him Tk 50,000 or to suffer six months more behind bars.

According to the case documents, the victim used to live with her family at their rented house in the Matuail area. She went to the common washroom beside their home at around 6 am on October 1, 2017, and went missing. As her family was searching for her, Rafikul called the victim's father and said the child was with him. 

The victim's family along with other neighbours went to Rafikul's house and found the house locked. They broke the lock and found the victim's body inside with her hands and legs tried with rope. The victim's father later filed the case with Jatrabari Police Station.

The court on May 15, 2019, framed charges against Rafikul. It came up with the judgment today after examining 12 out of 16 witnesses on different hearing dates.