3 sentenced to death, 2 to life imprisonment for abduction and murder of child in Gopalganj
As all the accused were absconding when the verdict was delivered, the court issued arrest and conviction warrants against them.
A tribunal has sentenced three people to death and two others to life imprisonment in a case filed over the abduction and murder of an eight-year-old boy in Gopalganj's Kashiani upazila.
The verdict was delivered today (7 July) by Judge Farzana Yasmin of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-4.
The three convicted to death are Jamal Sheikh, Shamim Sheikh and Ranju Sheikh. Mahmuda Khanam Usha and Billal Sheikh were sentenced to life imprisonment.
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The court also fined each of the five convicts Tk50,000.
As all the accused were absconding when the verdict was delivered, the court issued arrest and conviction warrants against them.
State prosecutor Gias Uddin confirmed the matter.
According to the case documents, the victim, Mahfuz, was abducted while travelling from his home in Barashur village to Bhatiapara Railway Jame Mosque on 5 July 2012.
The accused demanded a ransom from his family following the abduction.
When the ransom was not paid, they strangled the child to death on 20 August 2012 and dumped his body in a mahogany orchard near the family's home.
Mahfuz's mother, Swapna Begum, filed a murder case with Kashiani Police Station on 6 July 2012.
Following the investigation, Sub-Inspector Md Nizam Shikdar of Kashiani Police Station submitted a charge sheet against the accused on 20 November 2012.
The Ministry of Home Affairs later transferred the case to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 for expedited proceedings.
On 13 February 2014, the tribunal framed charges against the accused and began the trial. During the proceedings, the prosecution presented testimony from 23 of the 25 listed witnesses.
In its observations, the court described the case as an example of extreme cruelty and inhumanity and said the verdict was intended to serve as a deterrent against similar crimes in the future.
