Minni appeals for withdrawal of her confessional statement
The 14 accused in the murder case, including Minni, appeared before the court on Wednesday to attend the hearing
Aysha Siddika Minni has appealed for withdrawal of her confessional statement in a case over the murder of her husband Rifat Shorif in Barguna. Her lawyer on Wednesday filed the appeal with Barguna Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court.
The 14 accused in the murder case, including Minni, appeared before the court on Wednesday to attend the hearing. After receiving the appeal, the court asked for relevant documents, while setting August 14 as the date for hearing on the plea.
Earlier on July 22, Minni’s appeal for withdrawing her ‘confessional statement’ was turned down by the court. Her two bail pleas were also rejected at the Barguna District Session Judge’s Court and Barguna Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court.
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On June 26, Rifat was chopped to death in broad daylight. A video footage of the grisly murder stirred the social media. Minni was seen trying to save her husband from the attackers.
The assailants beat Rifat up, as he picked up his wife at the gate of the college she studied at and was coming back home with his wife; the assailants later chopped the youth to death. Minni was the key witness in the case, filed subsequently by Abdul Halim Dulal, victim’s father.
The case took a different turn, as Dulal at a press conference accused Minni of being involved in the murder of his son. In response, she said that her father-in-law was being influenced by conspirators.
On July 16, Minni was taken to the district police chief’s office for questioning. After daylong integration at the chief’s office, police arrested her for the alleged involvement in the murder, followed by a five days’ remand granted by the court.
As no lawyer stood for the accused, the court allowed Minni to defend herself. Claiming her innocence, she told the court: “Rifat Shorif was my husband. I want justice for my husband. I’m not involved in his assassination. I have been a victim of conspiracy in this murder case.”
The members at a meeting of the ‘parliamentary standing committee’ also expressed their surprise over the arrest of Rifat’s wife. However, amid significant controversy and suspension, the wife eventually confessed her involvement in her husband’s murder before the court.
