National

SC verdict in Khalaf murder case on Oct 10

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today set October 10 to pronounce judgment on appeals filed by the state and the convicts against the High Court judgement in the case lodged over the 2012 murder of Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali.

A three-member Appellate Division bench headed by Justice Md. Abdul Wahhab Miah set the date after conclusion of the hearing on the matters, BSS reported.

Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal on December 30, 2012, sentenced five to death in the case. But after holding hearing on appeals and death reference in the case, the High Court on November 18, 2013, upheld death of Saiful Islam but commuted Md Al Amin, Akbar Ali Lalu and Rafikul Islam's maximum sentence to life imprisonment. It also acquitted Selim Chowdhury from the charges.

The state in 2014 filed appeals against the High Court judgment. Saiful Islam too filed an appeal, pleading to acquit him from the charges.

Khalaf, 45, was shot on March 5 midnight in 2012, near his Gulshan residence. He succumbed to his injury the next day in hospital.