Pallabi child rape-murder case verdict today

Two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akhter, were produced in court on Sunday for the verdict in the rape and murder of a child in Dhaka’s Pallabi area. 

The pair were brought to the Dhaka Metropolitan Court in a prison van at 8:45am. Both remain in custody as the judgement is awaited. 

Additional police have been deployed around the court premises, with law enforcement officers remaining on high alert. 

The verdict is due to be delivered by Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children Repression Violence Prevention Tribunal. Last Thursday, after hearing arguments from both sides, the judge set today’s date for the ruling in the presence of the accused. The decision will come just 19 days after the crime.

Special Public Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu told the court that the state had proved the charges of child murder against Sohel Rana and Swapna Akhter on the basis of evidence. He urged the tribunal to hand down the maximum punishment of death.

However, the state-appointed defence lawyer, Musa Kalimullah, argued that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations and called for justice to be served.

The incident occurred on May 19 when the body of a school-going child was recovered from a flat in Block B, Section 11 of Pallabi. Police said 32-year-old Sohel Rana, who lived in the neighbouring flat, slit the child’s throat before escaping by cutting through a window grill. His wife, Swapna Akhter, was at home at the time. She was later arrested.

The child’s father filed a murder case at Pallabi Police Station, naming two people as accused. Sohel was subsequently arrested from Fatulla in Narayanganj. Police said he confessed to the murder and recorded a statement before the court.

Following a five-day investigation, Sub-Inspector Ahiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station submitted the charge sheet on May24, naming Sohel Rana and Swapna Akhter as the accused. 

In a bid to expedite proceedings, the case was transferred to the Children Violence Suppression Prevention Tribunal on the same day the charge sheet was filed. 

On June 1, the judge framed charges and ordered the trial to begin. The testimony and cross-examination of 16 witnesses were completed in a single day. After the defence presentation on Wednesday and final arguments on Thursday, the case reached the verdict stage.