Rape at Raintree: Verdict against Safat, 4 others on Nov 11

A special tribunal in Dhaka on Wednesday set November 11 to pronounce judgement in a case lodged over alleged rape of two private university students in hotel "The Raintree Dhaka" in the capital's Banani area in 2017.

Today was fixed for pronouncing the judgement, but Judge Mosammat Kamrunnahar of Dhaka seventh Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal reset the date as the proceedings of the court was suspended in the honour of eminent lawyer Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder, who died this morning.

Earlier on October 12, the tribunal had deferred till today the pronouncement of judgement as the regular judge Mosammat Kamrunnahar was on leave due to her illness.

Twenty-two out of total 47 witnesses have testified in the case and were later cross-examined by the defence.

The horrific crime allegedly committed by Safat Ahmed, son of Apan Jewelers owner Dildar Ahmed, and his friends Naim Ashraf and Sadman Sakif, raping the two girls on March 28, 2017, bringing them to that hotel for joining a birthday party. 

A victim filed the case on May 6, 2017, with Banani Police Station. Investigation officer Inspector Ismat Ara Emmy on June 7, 2017, filed a charge-sheet against five accused in the case. The accused are-- Safat Ahmed, Naim Ashraf, Sadman Sakif, Safat's bodyguard Rahmat Ali and driver Billal Hossain.

The tribunal on June 19, 2017, accepted the charge-sheet and on July 13, 2017, framed charges against the accused.

Source: BSS