The High Court has upheld the death sentence of former police constable Abdul Alim Sumon for the murder of his wife, Sumi Akter, over a dowry demand in Tangail. The court also commuted the death sentence of co-convict Shamim Al Mamun to life imprisonment.
The two convicts are Abdul Alim Sumon, son of Abu Hanif from Hinnipara village in Kalihati, Tangail, and his friend Shamim Al Mamun, son of Abul Hashem from the same village.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja delivered the verdict on Sunday following hearings on the death reference and appeals filed by the convicts.
Advocates SM Shahjahan, Md Jahangir Alam, and KMA Al Fahad Bin Sagir represented the defence in court.
According to the prosecution charges, Abdul Alim married Sumi Akter, daughter of Sultan Ahmed of Foliyarghona village under Tangail Sadar Upazila, on 6 May 2011 whilst serving in the Industrial Police.
At the time of the wedding, a dowry of Tk5 lakh was promised, of which Sumi’s father paid Tk3 lakh, leaving an unpaid balance of Tk2 lakh.
Abdul Alim frequently subjected his wife to physical torture demanding the remaining Tk2 lakh, and eventually sent her back to her father’s home.
On 20 April 2012, Abdul Alim took Sumi from her father’s house on the pretext of visiting the Jamuna Bridge area.
She was subsequently taken to the embankment area under Turag Police Station in Dhaka, where Abdul Alim strangled her to death with a scarf with the assistance of Shamim Al Mamun.
Following his arrest, Abdul Alim made a confessional statement in court admitting to the murder of his wife, and was subsequently dismissed from the police force. The deceased Sumi’s mother filed a case against both accused as the plaintiff at Tangail Police Station.
On 5 August 2019, Judge Khaleda Yasmin of Tangail Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal found both accused guilty and sentenced them to death.
The case was then forwarded to the High Court as a death reference for confirmation of the trial court’s judgment, alongside criminal and jail appeals lodged by the convicts.
