Magura rape verdict shows swift justice is indeed possible
It is encouraging that a Magura court has concluded the trial proceedings of a rape case in just 24 days after the trial commenced on April 23, 2025. Reportedly, the court sentenced 44-year-old Hitu Sheikh, the prime accused, to death for the rape and murder of his daughter-in-law's eight-year-old sister. However, three other accused were acquitted as the charges against them could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. That said, the surprising efficiency with which our judicial system worked in this case may serve as a model for future trials.
After the verdict, the victim's mother was reported to have expressed disappointment over the acquittal of three accused, stating, "They deserved punishment, as they assisted in the murder and concealed information." We hope proper justice will be served if or when the case is appealed, but for the moment, what we should take away from this case is the speed with which the trial was conducted. The same urgency should be applied to the many other rape cases pending in courts across the country. As a Supreme Court lawyer rightly pointed out, inconsistency in the pace of justice leads to disparity and undermines public confidence in the judiciary.
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According to the Human Rights Support Society, at least 6,305 women and girls were raped in the past five years. Despite this alarming rate, conviction remains extremely low. Of the 20,914 cases of violence against women and children filed through 14 one-stop crisis centres between 2001 and July 2024, only 1.48 percent ended in convictions. Currently, 101 Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals are handling such cases, with each burdened by an average of 1,500 pending cases. To address this backlog, more tribunals must be established. Additionally, we must protect victims and witnesses as they are sometimes pressured into withdrawing cases or settling out of court. The longstanding problems of faulty investigations and inadequate forensic facilities should also be addressed through institutional reform.
In our country, rape trials often drag on for years—even in lower courts. The swift verdict in the Magura case shows that timely justice is indeed possible. While we strongly support expediting investigations and trials, it is equally important that the process be thorough and fair. We urge the government to do everything in its power to ensure both speed and quality in justice delivery.
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