double rape case
Judgment deferred again in Banani double rape case
With the courts closed in Dhaka Wednesday over the death of a Supreme Court lawyer, the judgment in the Banani double rape case has been deferred for the second time in a fortnight.
The five men are accused in the rape case of two female university students at a posh hotel in the capital's Banani area in March 2017. Police filed the chargesheet against them in June that year.
READ: Banani double rape case: Court sets Oct 27 for delivering judgment
"The courts are closed due to the death of Abdul Baset Majumder, a senior Supreme Court advocate and that’s why the judgment in this case will not be pronounced," Afroza Farhana Orange, special public prosecutor, told UNB.
On October 3, the trial court set October 12 as the judgment day. But the judgment was deferred on that day too as the judge went on sick leave.
READ: Banani double rape: 5 accused sent to jail, verdict on October 12
The five accused in the case -- Shafat Ahmed, Nayeem Ashraf alias Halif, Shadman Sakif, Shafat’s driver Billal Hossain and bodyguard Rahmat Ali -- are currently in judicial custody.
Banani double rape case: Court sets Oct 27 for delivering judgment
A Dhaka court on Tuesday fixed October 27 for delivering its judgment in a case over the rape of two girls in a hotel in the capital’s Banani area in 2017.
Acting Judge of Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 Abdullah Al Mamun fixed the date.
Earlier on October 3, a Dhaka court set October 12 to deliver its verdict in the case.
Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 Judge Begum Kamrunnahar was scheduled to hear the case today but the court deferred the verdict as she was on leave due to sickness .
Read: Banani double rape: 5 accused sent to jail, verdict on October 12
On June 7, 2017, investigation officer of the case Inspector Ismot Ara submitted a charge sheet to the court against five accused.
On June 19, the tribunal accepted the charge sheet.
Rape charges were pressed against accused Safat Ahmed, son of Apan Jewellers co-owner Dildar Ahmed Selim, and Nayeem Ashraf while charges for assisting in rape pressed against Safat’s friend Sadman Sakif, Shafat's driver Billal Hossain and bodyguard Rahmat Ali.
On May 6, 2017, one of the two abused girls filed the case with Banani Police Station against five persons including Shafat and Shadman Sakif.
According to the case statement, Safat and Nayeem raped the plaintiff and her friend on March 28 at The Raintree Dhaka in the capital's Banani area while the three others assisted them.
Read: Banani double rape case: Court cancels Shafat’s bail
The victims were acquainted with Safat through Sadman two weeks before the incident and they were tricked in attending a grand program at the hotel on that day, said the statement.