9 get 4yr jail for MV Koko sinking in 2009

The marine court in Dhaka today punished a launch company and nine of its staff for their “fault” that resulted in capsize of MV Koko-4 leaving 81 people dead back in 2009.

Judge Begum Shammi Hasina Parvin of marine court handed down four years jail for nine staff of the launch and asked the owner company MS Rahman Shipyard BD Limited to pay Tk 4.8 lakh as compensation.

The convicts have to pay Tk 5,000 fine each and in default to pay, they have to serve three more months in jail, defence lawyer Jahangir Hossain told The Daily Star today.

Of the convicts, eight were present at the court today and they were sent to jail. The convicts are: Master Shamsul Haque, drivers Masud Ahmed and Sajal Arefin Khan, Sukani Abul Kalam and Abdul Aziz, clerks Kerani Titu Mia and Shamim and inspector Md Uzzwal.

Another convict Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan, second master of the launch, died in middle of 2015 but the defence could not provide any documentary evidence of his death.

“We tried to collect his death certificate but his family members did not cooperate with us. So we could not provide documentary evidence of his death,” Jahangir Hossain said.