Rifat Murder Case: Children’s court to deliver verdict today

A Barguna court is set to deliver the verdict today on 14 juvenile accused in the much-talked-about Rifat Sharif murder case.

Judge Hafizur Rahman of Barguna Children's Court on October 14 fixed the date to pronounce the verdict after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence lawyers.

Among the 14 accused eight are now on bail and the rest in the children's ward of Barguna jail.

Mostafizur Rahman Babul, public prosecutor of Barguna Women and Children's Court, said, "We have produced necessary evidence before the court against the juvenile accused. We hope we will get proper justice."

According to court sources, a total of 74 witnesses testified against the 14 accused, aged between 14 and 17.

Rifat was hacked in broad daylight in front of Barguna Government College on June 26 last year. He died of his wounds at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on the same day.

On September 1 last year, police pressed charges against 24 people, both adults and juveniles, in the murder case. Police had submitted the charge sheet to the court in two parts -- one against 10 adults and the other against the 14 juveniles.

The Barguna District and Sessions Judge's Court on January 8 this year had framed charges against the 14 juvenile accused. The trial of the accused began at Barguna Children's Court on January 13.

On September 30, the District and Sessions Judge's Court delivered the verdict on the 10 adult accused. The court handed down death sentences to six, including Rifat's wife Ayesha Siddika Minni, and acquitted the four others.

All the six death row convicts are now behind bars.

The main accused in the case, Nayan Bond, was killed in a "gunfight" with police on July 2 last year.