DHAKA: A Dhaka tribunal on Monday (July 24) deferred the date to August 6 for taking a Camera Trial, an esoteric deposition, from one of the victim girls claimed to be violated at the Raintree Hotel in the capital’s Banani.

‘Camera Trial’ describes a locked-door procedure where a judge privately looks at confidential, sensitive, or private information to determine what, if any, information may be used by a party or made public.

Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, Dhaka-2 passed the order responding a time extension plea from the accused side in the case filed over ‘raping’ two university girls..

The girl also a plaintiff will be testifying in presence of the lawyers from both sides and one of the accused, at the private chamber of Tribunal Judge Shafiul Azam on August 6.

However, the plaintiff appeared before the tribunal Monday.

Besides, five accused of the case—Safat Ahmed, Nayeem Ashraf alias HM Halim, Sadman Shakif, Rahmat Ali and Billal Hossain were also produced before the tribunal the same day.

Advocate Fahmida Akhter Rinky, President of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA) moved for the plaintiff while Lawyer Kazi Najibullah Hiru moved for the accused at the court.

On Monday, the tribunal was all set to take the fortified deposition responding an appeal from Advocate Fahmida Akhter Rinky, but later reshuffled the date as the accused side sought the time claiming that they will plead at the High Court against the charge-framing in the case.

The tribunal then granted the time extension, responding the appeal from Lawyer Kazi Najibullah Hiru.

However, on July 13, the tribunal began trial in the case through forming charges against the five.

While asked regarding the incident, the accused claimed themselves innocent before the court Monday.

Of the accused, Safat and Nayeem were indicted with Section 9(1) of Women and Children Repression Prevention Act while Safat, Rahmat and Billal were indicted with Section 30 of the same act. 

However, a total 47 of witnesses are supposed to testify in the case.

On June 7, Ismat Ara Emi, probe officer of the case also Inspector of Victim Support Center (VSC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) filed charsheets in the case with the Chief Metropolitan and Magistrate Court, Dhaka.

On June 11, the case was shifted to the tribunal from the CMM court.

On June 19, the tribunal accepted charges against the accused in the case.

The five accused had earlier given confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

On May 6, one of the victims filed the case with Banani Police Station against Shafat, Sakif and three others.

According to the compliant, the girls were sexually attacked and filmed after they were invited to a birthday party at the Raintree Hotel at Banani in Dhaka on March 28.

The two girls said they did not file the case earlier because the accused threatened them with dire consequences.

‪The girls accused Safat and Nayeem of locking up in a room and raping them overnight. The two girls were raped by Safat and Nayeem at gunpoint while the three others helped them and filmed the incident.

BDST: 1548 HRS, JUL 24, 2017
SI/AP/SMS