A Barguna court on Wednesday sentenced six people, including victim’s wife Ayesha Siddika Minni, to death in the sensational Rifat Sharif murder case.
District and Sessions Judge of Barguna, Md Asaduzzaman delivered the verdict at 1:50pm in presence of nine accused.
The other death-row-convicts are Abdul Kaiyum alias Rabbi Akon, Mohaiminul Islam Sifat, Rakibul Hasan alias Rifat Farazi, Rezwanul Khan alias Tiktok Ridoy and Md Hasan.
They were also fined Tk 50,000 each.
The court acquitted four accused. The acquitted accused are Kamrul Islam Saimum, Rafiul Islam Rabbi, Mohammad Sagor and Md Musa as they were found innocent in the murder case.
Terming Minni the mastermind behind the killing, the court in its verdict said Minni secretly married Sabbir Hossain Nayan alias Nayan Bond before tying the knot with Rifat Sharif. Nayan was later killed in a gunfight with police.
Rifat Sharif
Minni along with Nayan Bond hatched a conspiracy to kill Rifat Sharif, the court in its observation said. They executed the plan on June 26 last year in front of Barguna Government College in broad daylight, said the court.
Dulal Sharif, father of the slain Rifat Sharif, expressed satisfaction over the verdict.
He thanked all concerned who were involved in the trial process, from the investigation to the verdict.
Responding to a question, he said, “I shall not file any appeal against the verdict though four accused were acquitted.”
He said, “Those who were actually innocent, were acquitted by the court. I am happy about that.”
But Minni’s father Mozzammel Haque Kishore, expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict of death to his daughter Minni.
He said, “It is a premeditated case.”
He blamed SP Barguna Maruf Hossain and then Barguna Additional SP Md Shajahan Hossain for the ‘premeditated case’ against his daughter.
He referred to the High Court’s observation against SP Barguna Maruf Hossain on his remark on Minni’s involvement.
Before Minni’s confessional statement before the court, SP Maruf reportedly told local journalists that they found Minni’s link in the Rifat murder.
As a result, the High Court criticized SP Maruf. For this reason, he became angry with us, Minni’s father claimed.
He alleged that police made witnesses. Police brought the witnesses two days ago and directed the witnesses to testify before the court as per the dictate of the police.
He said, “Police threatened witnesses.”
About Minni’s reaction after the verdict, he said, “Minni cried a little bit when she was being brought to jail.”
“I am innocent. I shall get away from jail, if I am innocent. I shall be hanged, if I am guilty,” Kishore quoted his daughter as saying.
Minni’s lawyer Advocate Mahbubul Bari Aslam said, “I am not satisfied with the verdict. Minni tried to save her husband at the risk of her own life. She also brought her husband to the hospital. If anyone wants to kill one, he or she will never try to save them.”
I have already advised the family members of Minni to file an appeal petition against the verdict as soon as possible, he said.
About Minni’s confessional statement, he said, “We all know how confessional statements are prepared in our country. Three accused in a case gave the same confessional statements before the court. They confessed that they dumped the body into the Shittalokkha river after rape and murder. But the victim later returned alive.”
Advocate Mahbubul said, “Minni also told the court that her statement was taken forcibly through torture and threat. She also told the court that she did not say anything.”
“The jail authorities also allowed me to write everything in the petition to withdraw the confessional statement, the lawyer also quoted his client Minni as saying.
Barguna SP Maruf Hossain could not be reached, despite several attempts by this correspondent, to comment on the allegation against him raised by Minni’s father.
Additional SP Md Shajahan Hossain, who is now working as the Addl SP (District Special Branch) of Barishal district denied all allegations against him.
He said, “We submitted our investigation report to the court. The court delivered its verdict.”
I have no personal role in the verdict, he added.
The statement of Minni’s father is totally baseless and insane, Addl SP Shajahan further said.
Meanwhile, the trial of 14 other accused is going on before the Barguna Children's Court as they are juveniles.
According to court sources, 76 witnesses testified against the 10 accused. The prosecution and defence then placed their arguments before the court for and against the accused.
On September 1 last year, police submitted separate charge sheets to the court, accusing 10 adults and 14 juveniles.
The Barguna District and Sessions Judges Court framed charges against the 10 accused in the murder case on January 1 this year.
Minni arrived on the court premises accompanied by her father on Wednesday morning.
On June 26, 2019, Rifat Sharif, 22, was mercilessly hacked by a group of people in broad daylight in Barguna town.
He succumbed to his injuries at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital later in the evening.
The next day, Rifat’s father filed a murder case of murder with Sadar police station.