The two individuals sentenced to death for the brutal rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Mirpur have filed jail appeals in the High Court, challenging their convictions.
Sohel Rana and Swapna Khatun filed the appeals, which are scheduled for an admissibility hearing on Sunday before a High Court bench comprising Justice Mohammad Ali and Justice Md. Saiful Islam.
Earlier last week, the death reference — all case documents — in the Ramisa murder case had already reached the High Court for confirmation of the death sentences.
On 7 June, Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal pronounced the death sentence for both accused. The court also fined Sohail Tk5 lakh and Swapna Tk2 lakh, ordering the amount to be paid to Ramisa’s legal heirs.
If the fines are not paid, the court directed the collectorate office to seize the convicts’ movable and immovable property and sell it to provide the amount to the victim’s family.
According to the case complaint, Ramisa was brutally tortured, raped, and murdered on the morning of May 19 inside the flat of a neighbouring tenant.
The victim’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, filed a case at Pallabi Police Station the following day. Police completed the investigation swiftly and submitted the charge sheet to the court on May 24. The tribunal accepted the charge sheet the same day and sent the case for trial.
On 1 June, the court formally framed charges against the two accused and began trial proceedings. The following day, testimony from 16 out of 18 witnesses was recorded.
The High Court will now hear the admissibility of the jail appeals alongside the death reference for confirmation of the sentences.
