A Dhaka court has sentenced Sohel Rana and Swapna Akter to death for the rape and murder of schoolgirl Ramisa Akter. The landmark verdict was delivered on Sunday morning following a highly expedited trial that concluded in just four working days.
Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal handed down the capital punishment with both defendants present in the courtroom. In delivering the verdict, the judge highlighted that medical reports provided clear evidence of sexual assault and physical injuries sustained prior to the murder.
The court noted that the hearings conclusively proved Sohel Rana’s confessional statement. His wife, Swapna Akter, was found equally guilty for her role in the crime and for actively assisting her husband in his attempt to evade justice.
The judicial proceedings unfolded with unprecedented speed. After a thorough police investigation and the submission of the formal charge sheet, prosecutors swiftly progressed their case, calling upon 16 of the 18 witnesses listed. The final legal arguments from both the prosecution and defence were wrapped up on 4 June, allowing the judge to set the final ruling for Sunday.
Given the public attention surrounding the case, authorities heavily reinforced security around the court premises ahead of the verdict. Additional contingents of police and intelligence personnel were deployed to maintain strict order as the defendants were brought in.
The swift trial brings legal closure to a shocking crime that took place less than a month ago. On 19 May, the second-grade student was deceitfully lured into the couple’s residence in the Pallabi area. After Ramisa’s family found her body, police immediately arrested Swapna Akter at the scene and later tracked down Sohel Rana in Narayanganj using digital surveillance.
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