A Barguna court is set to announce the verdict against 14 juvenile accused in the sensational Rifat Sharif murder case on Tuesday.

Earlier on October 14, Judge Hafizur Rahman of the Barguna Children's Court set the date after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence lawyers.

The 14 juvenile accused are- Rashidul Hasan Rishan Faraji, 17, Md Rakibul Hasan Rifat Hawlader, 15, Md Abu Abdullah Raihan, 16, Md Oliullah Oli, 16, Joy Chandra Sarker alias Chandan, 17, Md Naim, 17, Md Tanvir Hossain, 17, Nazmul Hasan, 14, Rakibul Hasan Niamat, 15, Md Saiyed Maruf Billah Mohibullah, 17, Maruf Mallik, 17, Prince Molla, 15, Ratul Shikdar Joy, 16, and Aryan Hossain Srabon, 16.

Among the 14 accused, eight are currently on bail and six are staying in the prison's juvenile ward. All of them produced before court today morning. 

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

On September 30, six people including Ayesha Siddiqua Minni, wife of murdered youth Rifat Sharif, were sentenced to death by the Barguna District and Sessions Judges’ Court, while four others were acquitted in the case.

Rifat, 22, was mercilessly hacked on June 26 last year by a group of individuals in broad daylight in Barguna town, even as his wife Minni tried to save him. He died at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital later in the evening.

The next day, Rifat’s father filed a murders case with the Barguna sadar police station.

On September 1 the same year, police submitted two separate charge-sheets against Minni and 23 others, including 10 adults and 14 juveniles.

On January 8, 2020, Judge Hafizur Rahman framed charges against 14 juvenile accused after concluding the hearing of defence and prosecution lawyers.

The trial proceeding of the murder case was halted earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Court resumed judicial proceedings on August 10 after five months of suspension. 

BDST: 1305 HRS, OCT 27, 2020
AP