Child murdered after kidnapping : 2 sentenced to life, one to 14 years

A court has sentenced two to life imprisonment and one to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment in the case of kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Shafiqul Islam alias Milon in Kafrul, Dhaka 18 years ago. In addition, two have also been acquitted.

Judge Munshi Md. Moshiar Rahman of Dhaka's Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 gave the verdict on Sunday (April 19).

Al Amin Gharami and Masud Rana have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The two have also been fined one lakh taka each; in default, they will have to serve another year of rigorous imprisonment. Saiful Islam, who was 15 years old at the time of the incident, has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of one lakh taka; in default, they will have to serve another year of rigorous imprisonment. Abdul Mottalib and Amirul Islam have been acquitted as the charges were not proven.

The bench assistant of the concerned court, Rashedul Islam, said that the Dhaka District Magistrate has been instructed to collect the fine money from the convicts by selling their movable and immovable properties and give it to the victim's family.

Masud Rana was present at the tribunal when the verdict was announced. After the verdict, he was sent to jail with a sentence warrant. Since the other two accused are absconding, an arrest warrant along with a sentence warrant has been issued against Al Amin Gharami and Saiful.

According to the details of the case, Milon did not return after leaving home to play on March 6, 2008. From March 7 to 13, the kidnappers called from different numbers and demanded a ransom of two lakh taka from the family. In this incident, Milon's father Shafiqul Islam filed a kidnapping case with Kafrul Police Station on March 13. Based on the call list, the police arrested the accused and based on the information provided by them, Milon's bones, teeth and blood-stained stones were recovered from Karnapara in Ramchandrapur in Savar. Later, the charge of murder was added to the case.

Kafrul Police Station SI Tahidul Islam filed the first charge sheet on August 3, 2009. Later, on the court's orders, the CID investigated the case and filed a supplementary charge sheet against Al Amin, Masud Rana, Abdul Mottalib, Rubina Khatun, Saiful Islam and Amirul Islam on March 23, 2011. The trial began with charges framed against the other accused, excluding Rubina Khatun, and the tribunal took the testimony of nine people during the trial. The verdict was announced today after the defense and arguments were presented.