A Gaibandha court on Wednesday sentenced two brothers to death for killing an auto-rickshaw driver and snatching the three-wheeler in Kholeya area under Gangachara upazila in Gaibandha district four years ago.
Judge Tariq Hossain of the Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-1 of Rangpur announced the verdict in absentia of the convicts on Wednesday afternoon.
The convicts are Shafikul Islam and Saiful Islam Kalu, sons of Mofizul Islam of village Gokulpur Dhanipara in nearby Sadar upazila of Rangpur.
Prosecution says, the accused hired the auto-rickshaw of driver Abul Kalam Azad of Nekirhat village of Taraganj upazila of Rangpur to go to Kholeya area in Gangachara upazila on August 24, 2016.
On the way, the accused forcibly took driver Abul Kalam Azad to a nearby paddy field and hacked him to death, left the body there and robbed the auto-rickshaw.
Later, Mokhlechena Begum, mother of deceased auto-rickshaw driver, filed a murder case with Gangachara Model police station in this connection on the next day.
While investigating the case, the police arrested accused Shafiqul Islam and Saiful Islam Kalu.
During primary interrogation, the two brothers confessed to the police about killing the auto-rickshaw driver and robbing the auto-rickshaw.
Later, both of them gave confessional statements before a Rangpur court under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1898.
After investigation, police submitted a charge sheet against the two accused to the court.
After being released on bail, the accused brothers went into hiding. So far, the police have not been able to arrest them.
After examining 16 witnesses in the case, the judge found Shafiqul Islam and Saiful Islam Kalu guilty beyond any doubt and announced the verdict on Wednesday afternoon.
Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Naynur Rahman Topi stood for the state while senior Advocate Alauddin Alamgir defended the accused side in the case.
