Sima murder: HC upholds death penalty of 8

High Court. File photo
High Court. File photo

The High Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of eight convicts in a case filed for killing schoolgirl Smrity Debnath Sima after rape during a robbery in Lakshmipur sadar upazila in 2012, reports UNB.

The High Court also commuted the death penalty of two other convicts to life imprisonment.

An HC bench of justice Bhabani Prasad Singh and justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after hearing the death reference and appeals filed by the convicts.

The eight condemned convicts are Hiron, 24, Manik, 30, Rashed, 25, Sumon, 20, Hedayet Ullah Hedu, 50, Nurnabi, 27, Saddam Hossain alias Rubel, 19, Nure Ala alias Nuru, 22.

Those got their sentence commuted are Anwar Hossain, 23 and Sohel.

Of the condemned, Manik, Saddam, Sumon, Rashedul and Sohel have been on the run.

On 16 September 2014, the Lakshmipur court sentenced 10 people to death and fined them Tk. 100,000 each in the murder case.

Session’s judge Manjurul Bashid handed down the verdict acquitting 15 others as allegations brought against them were not proved.

According to the prosecution, a gang of robbers, numbering 25-30, swooped on the house of Manik Lakshman Debnath at Basudouhita village in Lakshmipur sadar upazila on 18 July 2012 and looted valuables worth of Tk. 500,000 after holding the house inmates hostage at gunpoint.

The robbers also strangulated Manik’s daughter Sima, a seventh grader at Pratabganj High School at that time, after raping her.

Victim’s grandfather Krishna Das filed a lawsuit the following day in this regard.

Police pressed charges against 24 accused on 25 March 2013.