High Court sets hearing for Dhaka child rape and murder case
The High Court has listed the death reference and appeal hearings for the rape and murder of seven-year-old schoolgirl Ramisa in Pallabi, Dhaka. Two defendants were previously sentenced to death under Section 368 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The High Court division of Bangladesh has officially included the appeal and death reference hearings for the high-profile rape and murder of seven-year-old Ramisa in its daily cause list. The tragic case, which originated in the Pallabi area of Dhaka, involves two primary defendants who were previously handed death sentences by a lower tribunal for the horrific crimes committed against the young child.
According to the official court records, the legal proceedings have been placed at serial number 22 on the cause list for the bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice K.M. Rashaduzzaman Raja. The inclusion of the case marks a significant step forward in the judicial review process following the initial sentencing by the Dhaka Metropolitan Children's Repression Suppression Tribunal, which handled the trial involving sixteen state witnesses.
The victim, Ramisa, was a second-grade student at Popular Model High School in Dhaka before her life was brutally cut short. Investigators and judicial documents established that the young girl was subjected to horrific abuse, being raped and subsequently murdered on May 19. The incident sparked widespread outrage within the local community, leading to a thorough investigation by the Pallabi Police Station and subsequent legal actions.
In the initial judgment delivered by the trial court, the first accused, Sohel Rana, and the second accused, Swapna Khatun, were found guilty of the heinous crimes. The tribunal ruled that, in accordance with Section 368 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the convicted individuals must be hanged by the neck until they are dead. Additionally, the court imposed severe financial penalties, fining Sohel Rana 5 lakh taka and sentencing Swapna Khatun to pay a fine of 2 lakh taka.
As the case now moves to the High Court bench for comprehensive scrutiny, legal teams representing both the state and the defense will present their arguments regarding the appeals and the confirmation of the death references. The proceedings before Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice K.M. Rashaduzzaman Raja will determine the final legal outcome for the two condemned individuals held responsible for the murder of the second-grade student.
