The High Court has released its full verdict acquitting Amir Hossain alias Jamal, who was sentenced to death in the rape and murder case of child Julia Akhtar in Hathazari, Chattogram, after 21 years. In the verdict, the court observed that Amir Hossain was arrested instead of the primary accused, and the prosecution failed to prove the murder charges against him through evidence and testimony.
The full copy of the judgment was published on Wednesday (23 September).
Earlier on September 1, a High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice K. M. Rasheduzzaman Raja delivered the judgment on the death reference and the appeal, acquitting Amir Hossain. The court also ordered his immediate release from the condemned cell.
On 10 February 2019, the Chattogram Nari O Shishu Nirchatan Daman Tribunal-2 sentenced Amir Hossain to death for the rape and murder of the child Julia.
According to the case documents, on 16 May 2005, child Julia Akhtar went to visit her paternal aunt’s house in Mekhal village under Hathazari Upazila. Amir Hossain was working as a day laborer at that house.
The complaint alleged that Amir Hossain abducted Julia and took her to a secluded spot near the house, where he raped and strangled her to death before dumping the body into a canal. Police later recovered Julia’s body from the bank of the canal.
Following the incident, Julia’s family filed a case naming Amir Hossain as the accused. On 25 August 2008, the police submitted the charge sheet in court after completing the investigation. The trial officially commenced on 8 September of the following year.
A total of 19 witnesses testified during the trial.
Following a lengthy legal process, the trial court sentenced Amir Hossain to death in 2019. Subsequently, the case reached the High Court as a death reference, while the convict also filed an appeal against the verdict.
The full High Court judgment noted that the prosecution’s evidence and testimonies failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Amir Hossain killed child Julia. According to the court’s observation, Amir Hossain had been arrested instead of the actual primary accused.
Consequently, the High Court rejected the prosecution’s death reference and accepted Amir Hossain’s appeal, granting him full acquittal.
