A Dhaka court has sentenced a man to death for the murder of a caretaker over a dispute involving just Tk5, more than seven years after the killing.
The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by the court of Md Nurul Islam, 11th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka. The court also imposed a fine of Tk10,000 on the convict, Md Kajol.
According to the case details, Zulhas Miah, a caretaker from Cumilla’s Homna upazila, had been working at a house on Indira Road in Farmgate for 30 years.
On the evening of 20 March 2018, around 6:45pm, Zulhas was standing in front of a cement shop near the house when accused Kajol approached him demanding Tk 5. When the victim delayed in giving the money, Kajol allegedly stabbed him with a sharp knife above his navel.
Julhas collapsed on the road with severe injuries. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The victim’s son, Md Saiful, filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station the following day.
When produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, Kajol gave a confessional statement admitting to the crime.
The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Md Sujanul Islam, submitted a charge sheet on 9 June 2018. Formal charges were framed against the accused on 30 September that year, and the trial commenced.
During the trial, the court recorded testimony from 11 out of 15 witnesses.
Kajol, who hails from Jaria village in Netrokona’s Purbadhala upazila, has been in jail since his arrest on 25 March 2018. He was produced before the court from jail for the verdict and subsequently sent back with the conviction warrant.
