Verdict awaited as Pallabi child murder suspects stand trial

Security has been heightened across the Dhaka Metropolitan Court premises, ahead of the highly anticipated verdict in the brutal rape and murder of a schoolgirl in the capital's Pallabi area on Sunday (June 7).

The two principal accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akhter, were transported from jail under heavy guard and arrived at the court lockup at 8:45am. Judge Masroor Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal is scheduled to deliver the judgment today, marking a remarkably swift legal process just 19 days after the incident occurred.

The prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu, expressed total confidence in securing the maximum penalty, stating that the charges of child murder against both defendants have been irrefutably proven through rigorous evidence and witness testimonies.

Conversely, state-appointed defense counsel Musa Kalimullah argued that the prosecution failed to substantiate its allegations, adding that his clients expect total justice from the tribunal.

The case dates back to May 19, when police recovered the minor girl's body from a flat in Section 11 of Pallabi.

According to law enforcement, 32-year-old Sohel Rana slaughtered the child in a neighboring flat before cutting through a window grill to escape, while his wife remained at the scene and was subsequently detained.

Following a targeted manhunt, Rana was arrested in Fatullah, Narayanganj, and later delivered a confessional statement in court.

The investigation officer submitted the formal chargesheet within a record five days on May 24, leading to immediate tribunal tracking, formal indictment on June 1, and the rapid cross-examination of 16 witnesses that paved the way for today's final ruling.