Two to die for killing schoolgirl after rape

A tribunal here yesterday sentenced two youths to death for killing a schoolgirl after rape in Mathbaria upazila of the district in 2014.

The death penalty awardees are Mehedi Hasan Swapan, 23, and Sumon Jamadder, 19, of Bandhabpara-Bukhaitala village in the upazila.

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Judge Md Golam Kibria of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribual-1 delivered the verdict around 12.30pm.

The court also fined the duo Tk 1 lakh each. The money will be given to the victim's family, court sources said.

According to the prosecution, Fatima Akhter, 9, a Class III student at Hatem Ali Government Primary School, and daughter of Ful Miah Hawlader of Jhatibunia village in the upazila, used to live at her maternal grandfather's house at Bandhabpara-Bukhaitala village.

When the girl went to nearby school field to bring a cow back home on October 5, 2014, Swapan and Sumon forcibly took her to an orchard and raped her. As she cried for help, the rapists strangled her. Relatives found Fatima's body from the orchard the following day.

Following a case filed by Fatima's father with Mathbaria Police Station, police arrested Swapan, a cousin of Fatima, and Sumon, After interrogation, they confessed to killing Fatima after rape. 

After examining the witnesses and case record, the judge handed down the verdict.