6 to die for killing minor in Cox’s Bazar

A Cox’s Bazar court has handed down death penalty to six people for abducting and killing a seven-year-old boy in 2011.

Cox’s Bazar district and sessions judge Md Ismail pronounced the verdict on Thursday after holding the six guilty of the crime. 

However, two other accused in the case have been acquitted “for lack of evidence”.

The convicts -- Sumon Ali, 26, son of Aftab Ali, Yeasin alias Raihan, 29, son of Shamsul Haque, Yeakub, 34, son of Aslam Mia, Ishak alias Kalu, 31, son of Atlongi Hossain, Saidul Hossain, 47, son of Abdur Rahim, and Nazrul Islam, 28, son of Nabi Hossain. Of them Saidul, Ishak and Nazrul were tried in absentia.

Those acquitted are Mohibulla, 45, son of Abdul Jalil, and Didar Mia, son of Zafar Ahmed.

According to the case statement, Sumon, who worked for the victim's father—Md Abdullah of Teknaf upazila—had made the plan to abduct the child for ransom.

On 6 September, 2011, the convicts picked up the boy—Waliullah—from near his house. Later, the convicts slit his throat and dumped the body near his house as they failed to manage the situation.

On 9 September, 2011, Waliullah’s father lodged a complaint against 4-5 people with Teknaf Police. The cops later registered a murder case.

On 30 December, 2012, the investigating officer in the case submitted a chargesheet against five people. The case was later handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

On 25 August, 2017, CID officers submitted a supplementary chargesheet against eight people.