Life sentence for man in child rape case at Cox's Bazar orphanage

A court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the rape of a child at an orphanage run by Cox's Bazar Adarsha Mohila Kamil Madrasa.

Judge Rabiul Alam of the Child Abuse Crime Suppression Tribunal, Cox's Bazar, pronounced the verdict on Tuesday afternoon, May 5, said Public Prosecutor Solimul Mostafa.

The convict, Mohiuddin, 45, also known as Mohaddin, is the son of Saker Hossain and Nurjahan of Kaiyarbil Malomchor in Kutubdia. He currently resides in Panirchhara Kalamiakata in Hoank union, Maheshkhali. He worked as a guard at the madrasa.

The child's grandmother filed the case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act at Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station on March 22, 2021.

On March 16, 2021, the guard lured the child to his room with the promise of breakfast and sexually assaulted her. The child, who was placed at the madrasa's orphanage due to poverty, suffered severe bleeding and later informed the wife of the orphanage supervisor.

The victim's grandmother went to the madrasa on March 20, where the child told her about the incident. The madrasa authorities initially prevented her from taking her granddaughter away. Following the advice of the local union chairman, she filed the case on March 22.

The prosecution submitted the charge sheet within six months. Charges were framed on September 12, 2022. After the testimonies of witnesses, the court delivered the verdict on Tuesday.

The court also fined the convict Tk 50,000, with an additional six months' rigorous imprisonment if the fine is unpaid. The convict was absent from court during the verdict, as he had been on bail and had fled.

The public prosecutor expressed satisfaction with the verdict. The defence lawyer, Hari Sadhan Pal, said they would appeal to the higher court.

The madrasa principal, Muhammad Aman Ullah, said the guard was suspended following the case and that further action will be taken after receiving the full verdict.