High Court withdraws death sentence upheld five years after convict’s death

Kanti Marak, a convict in a child rape and murder case in Sherpur, died in prison in 2021. Yet, nearly five years after his death, the High Court upheld his death sentence in a verdict delivered on July 1.

After the matter came to the court’s attention, the High Court on Wednesday withdrew the verdict.

It also declared the pending appeal and death reference proceedings against Marak closed due to his death.

Kanti Marak died at Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur on January 16, 2021.

After the prison authorities issued his death certificate, the state informed the court of his death.

According to case records, Marak was accused of raping and killing a child in Nalitabari, Sherpur, in 2013.

A trial court sentenced him to death in 2019. The case was subsequently sent to the High Court for confirmation of the death sentence.

The state lawyer said the court had not been aware of Marak’s death when it upheld his death sentence on July 1.

After the death certificate was obtained and the court was informed, the earlier verdict was withdrawn.

As the accused had already died, the High Court also brought the pending appeal and death reference proceedings to an end.