Ramisa Murder: Verdict today, just 19 days after incident

A Dhaka court is set to deliver its verdict on Sunday in the case over the rape and brutal murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in the capital's Mirpur Pallabi area.

Judge Masrur Saleqin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Tribunal for the Prevention of Violence Against Children will announce the verdict.

Last Thursday (4 June), after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence lawyers in the case, the court fixed this date for delivering the verdict. As a result, the trial of this brutal incident has reached its final stage in just 19 days, marking an unprecedented pace.

Following the filing of the case, the charge sheet was submitted within four days. The framing of charges and recording of witness testimonies also proceeded swiftly. Court officials said that it is very rare in Bangladesh for judicial proceedings in a rape and murder case to reach the final stage so quickly. Usually, it takes years for a case to go through various stages, including the investigation report, the start of the trial and the recording of witness testimonies.

How the Case Proceeded

The incident took place in Pallabi on the morning of 19 May. At 12:05am on 20 May (late on the night of 19 May), the victim’s father filed a case with Pallabi Police Station. The case accused Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Akter, of forcibly raping the victim, causing her death and assisting in the concealment of the body. Police then launched an investigation.

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Four days after the incident, on 24 May, the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station, submitted the charge sheet. A total of 18 witnesses were listed in the charge sheet. On the same day, the case was sent to the Dhaka Metropolitan Tribunal for the Prevention of Violence Against Children for trial, and Judge Masrur Saleqin of the tribunal took cognisance of the charge sheet.

The court fixed 1 June for the charge-framing hearing. After the Eid holiday, charges were framed against Sohel Rana and his wife on 1 June. On 2 June, testimony and cross-examination of 16 out of the 18 charge-sheeted witnesses were completed, concluding the witness examination process.

The following day, Wednesday (3 June), the court heard the defence statements of the accused. During the hearing, Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Akter, claimed they were innocent. After recording the statements of both accused, the court fixed Thursday for closing arguments.

Special Public Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu presented arguments on behalf of the state. During the hearing, he read out the witness testimonies in sequence and sought the maximum punishment for the accused.

On the other hand, state-appointed defence lawyer Musa Kalimullah presented arguments on behalf of the accused. He sought life imprisonment as the minimum punishment for Sohel Rana. For the other accused, Swapna Akter, he sought punishment only for the offence of assisting in the attempted concealment of the body. The court later fixed Sunday for the announcement of the verdict.