A Cox’s Bazar court in Cox’s Bazar has sentenced two people, including a Rohingya man, to death in a yaba trafficking case. Two other Rohingya men have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while another accused has been acquitted.
Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Abdur Rahman delivered the verdict on Tuesday afternoon. Public Prosecutor Sirajul Islam confirmed the matter.
Those sentenced to death are Nur Mostafa of the Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Ukhiya and Sona Mia of Kutubdia Para in Cox’s Bazar town.
Those given life sentences are Abdul Gafur, 35, son of the late Khwilla Mia of the Kutupalong Rohingya camp, and Md Ayub, also known as Taiyob, son of the late Mohammad Alam. The acquitted accused is Abdur Rahman, son of Md Islam of Razar Kul area in Ramu upazila.
According to Public Prosecutor Sirajul Islam, on 2 March 2020, the district Detective Branch of Cox’s Bazar conducted a special operation and arrested five people with 190,000 yaba tablets and a microbus.
Following the incident, Mizanur Rahman, the then inspector of the Detective Branch, filed a case at Ramu Police Station. All five were later sent to jail through the court. The charge sheet was submitted in September of the same year.
After accepting the charge sheet, the court began the trial. Upon completion of testimony and evidence, the court on Tuesday acquitted one accused, sentenced two to death and two to life imprisonment.
The public prosecutor said that all five accused were out on bail at different stages of the trial. Four of them later went into hiding. When the verdict was delivered, only the acquitted accused, Abdur Rahman, was present in court. The remaining four are still absconding.
