Verdict in Ramisa rape and murder case on 7 June

A Dhaka court has fixed 7 June for delivering its verdict in the high-profile rape and murder case of child Ramisa Akter in Pallabi, Mirpur.

The date was set on Thursday (4 June) by Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children’s Violence Suppression Tribunal after hearing the closing arguments from both the prosecution and defence.

The trial has progressed rapidly since the court framed charges against the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, on 1 June.

The following day, the tribunal recorded testimony from 16 of the 18 witnesses listed in the charge sheet.

During the hearing of the defence statements on Wednesday, both accused claimed innocence.

Earlier, on 24 May, the tribunal took cognisance of the charge sheet filed against the two accused. Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Ahiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station submitted the charge sheet to the court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ashraful Haque, which later transferred the case to the specialised tribunal for trial.

The prosecution has listed 17 witnesses in the case. The verdict is expected to conclude one of the most closely watched criminal trials in recent months.