The formal recording of testimonies has begun today (Tuesday) in the case filed over the rape and murder of eight-year-old schoolgirl Ramisa Akter at Pallabi in the capital.
Prime accused Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter have been produced before tribunal centering the recording of testimonies.
Sohel was brought from the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court's holding cell and produced before court at 10:20am.
The judicial proceedings started at 10:30am at the Child Violence Suppression Tribunal under the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Court.
A total of 17 people made witnesses in the case. The victim's father and case complainant, Abdul Hannan Molla, appeared in court to testify as the first witness. Other witnesses are Mizanur Rahman Liton, eyewitnesses Sheikh Abu Sama, Md Monir Hossain, Raisa Akter, Jakirul Islam Raju, Mahmuda Khatun, Moniruzzaman Shahin, Parvin Akter, SI Rashedul Islam, Md Sharif Mia, Ruma Akter, SI Md Iqbal Hossain, investigation officer ASI Md Ishaq Ali, forensic DNA expert Shuvajoy Boidya and investigation officer of the case SI Ohiduzzaman.
On Monday (June 1), Judge Masrur Saleqin of the tribunal held a hearing on the framing of charges against the accused and subsequently set June 2 for the start of witness testimony.
According to court sources, the hearing was conducted in the presence of the two accused, Sohel Rana (31) and Swapna Akter (26). After the hearing, the court sent the case to the testimony stage.
Court records show that on May 24, the court accepted the charge sheet submitted by police and scheduled the charge-framing hearing for June 1.
Investigators prepared the charge sheet based on DNA findings, the autopsy report and other forensic evidence.
According to the case documents, on May 19, Ramisa Akter, a Class II student at Popular Model High School, was lured into the adjacent flat of Sohel Rana at Millat Camp, where she was raped and slit across the throat. Her severed head was recovered from a bathroom bucket, and her body was found in the bedroom.
Police responded to the scene after receiving an emergency call and took one suspect into custody. The main accused, Sohel Rana, was later arrested in Narayanganj with the assistance of information technology-based tracking.
The case was filed by the victim's father, Abdul Hannan Molla. Following his arrest, Sohel Rana gave a confessional statement before a court on May 20, according to case records.
The investigation officer submitted the chargesheet within five days on May 24, utilising the DNA and forensic reports.
Prosecutors expressed hope that the case could be concluded within a relatively short period through expedited testimony and legal proceedings.
END/ASA
