DHAKA : The Dhaka Metropolitan Children’s Violence Suppression Tribunal today convicted Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter and sentenced them to death in child Ramisa rape and murder case, which is among the fastest-disposed major rape-murder cases in the country’s judicial history, reports BSS

Judge Masrur Salekin of the tribunal pronounced the verdict this morning. The court began its proceedings at 11:00 am sharp and immediately started reading out the judgment.

The tribunal handed down the death penalty at 11:37 am for the heinous crimes of the two accused. It also fined Sohel Rana Taka five lakh and Swapna Akter Taka two lakh.

Earlier, the prison authorities brought Swapna Akter to the court at 8:30 am, while Sohel Rana was brought 20 minutes later. They were kept in separate lockups. The accused were later produced before the courtroom separately. Sohel Rana was brought at 10:45 am while Swapna Akter at 10:57 am.

Security was tightened ahead of the verdict, with the deployment of three additional platoons of police in and around the court premises, in addition to the regular two platoons.

The tribunal framed charges against Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, on June 1 and completed legal arguments on June 4, paving the way for the verdict within a week of the indictment.

Ramisa, a class-II student of Popular Model High School, was allegedly raped and beheaded by her neighbour, Sohel Rana, at his flat in the Millat Camp area of Pallabi on May 19. Her father filed the case the following day.

On May 23, the government appointed Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu as special public prosecutor to conduct the trial on behalf of the state before the Dhaka Metropolitan Children’s Violence Suppression Tribunal, a newly constituted court dealing exclusively with cases of violence against children.

Police submitted a charge sheet on May 24 against alleged rapist and killer Sohel Rana and his wife and alleged accomplice Swapna Akter.

On the same day, the government appointed Advocate Musa Kalimullah as state defence counsel to represent the accused before the tribunal.

The tribunal framed charges in the case on June 1, while it completed recording the depositions of prosecution witnesses (PWs) in a single day on June 2. Sixteen of the 18 listed PWs testified and were subsequently cross-examined by the defence on that day.

The witnesses included Ramisa’s father and complainant Abdul Hannan Mollah, mother Pervin Akter, sister Raisa Akter, aunt Mahmuda Akter, uncles Mizanur Rahman Liton and Moniruzzaman Shahin, neighbours Monir Hossain, Zakirul Islam Raju and Sheikh Abu Sama, constables Roma Akter and Sharif Miah, sub-inspector Iqbal Hossain, who prepared the inquest report, Dr Nasad Jabin, who conducted the autopsy, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Zunayed, who recorded the confessional statement of alleged killer Sohel Rana, sub-inspector Rashedul Islam and investigation officer sub-inspector Wahiduzzaman.

State-appointed defence counsel Musa Kalimullah later cross-examined all the witnesses.

On June 3, the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, made their self-defence statements before the court, where Sohel Rana sought mercy, while Swapna Akter claimed complete innocence and prayed for justice.

The legal arguments in the case were held on June 4, when the prosecution sought the maximum punishment for both accused.