Hitu Sheikh sentenced to death in Asia rape-murder case, wife and children acquitted
The court has sentenced Hitu Sheikh to death for raping and murdering the controversial child Asia of Magura. His wife Zaheda Begum and children Sajeeb Sheikh and Ratul Sheikh have been acquitted in the verdict.
Judge M Zahid Hasan announced the verdict at the Magura Women and Child Abuse Prevention Tribunal on Saturday (May 17) morning.
Earlier, the police filed a charge sheet in the case on April 13. The trial began with the framing of charges on April 23. The taking of testimony began on April 27.
29 people testified for the state in this case. The trial ended in 12 working days after continuous hearings, excluding holidays.
The state’s lawyers say that the crime against the accused has been proven in the confessional statement under Section 164 of the IPC, medical evidence and the statements of witnesses.
On March 6, eight-year-old Achiya was raped while visiting her sister’s in-laws’ house in Nijnanduali village of Magura town. She was first taken to hospitals in Magura and Faridpur in serious condition.
When her condition deteriorated, she was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later to Dhaka Combined Military Hospital. She died while undergoing treatment on March 13. The incident sparked outrage across the country.
