Death Penalty Handed Down in Sitakunda Child Murder Case

A tribunal has sentenced 50-year-old Babu Sheikh to death for the murder of eight-year-old Jannatul Naeem Ira in Sitakunda.

Judge Jannatul Ferdous Aleya of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 delivered the verdict on Thursday afternoon in the presence of the accused.

According to case files, on March 1, Babu lured the second-grader from her home with the promise of chocolates. He took her to a secluded hilly area near the Sitakunda Botanical Garden and attempted to rape her. When the child threatened to expose him, Babu slit her throat and fled. Locals rescued the critically injured girl, but she succumbed to her injuries at Chittagong Medical College Hospital two days later.

Additional Public Prosecutor Advocate Md. Sarwar Hossain Lavlu confirmed that the court handed down the death penalty and a Tk 100,000 fine for murder. Additionally, Babu received a life sentence and a Tk 100,000 fine for kidnapping, alongside 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a Tk 50,000 fine for the attempted rape.

Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Kamruzzaman stated that CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and prompt witness testimonies were vital in securing the conviction. The court recorded statements from 16 out of 17 witnesses before reaching its decision.

Following the verdict, the victim’s mother, Rokeya Begum, expressed her relief through tears. “I will never get my daughter back, but I am satisfied with the court's judgment. I pray no other mother has to experience this pain.”