2 to be hanged for rape and murder of college girl

A Joypurhat court on Monday sentenced two individuals to death for killing a college girl after rape on 2022.

Joypurhat Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Md Abdul Moktadir pronounced the verdict in the afternoon.

The convicts are Rony Mahanto, 32, from Majhina village under Panchbibi upazila, and Zahid Hasan Kamini, 35, from Ayma Para village. Additionally, they both were also fined Tk 1 lakh each.

According to the case statement, the victim Ayesha Siddiqa, 21, an honours student of Joypurhat Government College, went to sleep after having dinner with her family members on the night of May 6, 2022. Around midnight, the convicted duo broke into her house by scaling wall and gang-raped the girl before suffocating her to death.

The following day, Ayesha's elder brother Mostak Hossain filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act with Panchbibi Police Station.

After their arrest, both confessed to the crime under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. 

Investigating Officer Habibur Rahman submitted the charge sheet on November 30, 2022.

After hearing testimonies from 12 witnesses, the court found Rony Mahanto and Zahid Hasan guilty and ordered their execution by hanging. 

Prosecutor Firoza Chowdhury represented the state, while the defense was led by Advocate Mostafizur Rahman.