Verdict in Magura child Asiya rape, murder case on 17 May

Highlights:

• Verdict in Asiya rape, murder case set for 17 May
• Main accused Hitu Sheikh confessed to rape and attempted murder
• Police report charged four, including relatives, with threats, concealing information
• Eight-year-old Asiya was raped on 6 March in the house of her sister's in-laws
• She died on 13 March while undergoing treatment at CMH Dhaka

A Magura court has set 17 May as the date to deliver the verdict in the widely discussed rape and murder case of the eight-year-old Asiya. 

The court gave the order at around 11am today (13 May) after the presentation of closing arguments by the prosecution and the defence. 

Judge M Zahid Hasan of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Magura started hearing the closing arguments yesterday morning (12 May).

Having completed hearing the witness testimonies and cross-examination of the accused, the court had scheduled 13 May to finish closing arguments.

The plaintiff's lawyer, Advocate Monirul Islam Mokul, told UNB that arguments were presented in the presence of the accused and expressed the hope that justice would be served for the victim.

A total of 29 witnesses testified in the case, and seven pieces of evidence were seized, he added.

The main accused in the case, Hitu Sheikh, who is the father-in-law of the child's sister, gave a confessional statement in court on 15 March. 

While he confessed to being solely involved in the rape and attempted murder incident, on 13 April, police submitted the investigation report bringing charges against four accused in the case.

Besides Hitu, Asiya's brother-in-law Sajib Sheikh and his brother Ratul Sheikh have been charged with threatening to kill Asiya and her sister. Hitu's wife Zaheda Begum has also been charged with concealing information.

Earlier, on 6 March, the eight-year-old child was raped during a visit to house of her sister's in-laws in Nijananduali village of Magura Sadar. Hitu had tried to asphyxiate her after raping her.

An unconscious Asiya was initially taken to Magura's 250-bed hospital in a critical condition the next day before being transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

She was placed on life support on 7 March and moved to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka for advanced care on 8 March. She died at CMH on 13 March while undergoing treatment.

Following her death, extensive protests took place across the country, including in Magura, demanding exemplary punishment for the accused.

Several days later, Asiya's mother Ayesha Akter filed a case as the plaintiff.