Four get life term

Judge AR Masud of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 gave the verdict for killing Abu Bayazid Mohammad Mumit, a student of Matrichhaya Pre-cadet High School at Madhubagh in the city.

The convicts are Nayon alias Razu Ahmed, Mohammad Rubel alias Rupak, Sharif Ahmed alias Shyamal and Mohammad Emrul Hassan.

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Of the convicts, Shyamal and Emrul were present in the court during the delivery of the verdict while Nayon and Rubel were tried in absentia.

The court fined the convicts Tk 5,000 each, in default, they will have to suffer six months more in jail.

The court also acquitted seven others-Principal MA Samad, Vice-Principal Joinal Abedin and a teacher Abdur Rashid and four residents of the institution Sumon Saha, Rafiqul Islam alias Rony, Mizanur Rahman alias Mizan and Azim Khan- as the charges brought against them were not proved.

The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the date of their arrest or surrender, the judgement said.

Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments and the court recorded statements of 11 prosecution witnesses.

Mumit,12, a residential student of class six of Matrichhaya Pre-cadet High School at Modhubagh in the city, was called out of his room on May 18,2000 and beaten to death allegedly by Nayon and some other students of class ten on the plea that he had taken away some mangoes and bananas from their dormitory room.

Victim's father Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh filed a murder case with Ramna Police Station accusing Nayon , Shyamal, Rony, Rupak,Mizan, Suhrawardy , Emrul Hasan and Sumon Saha.

In the First Information Report (FIR), the victim's father stated that the school authorities informed him over telephone that his son died on the premises and the boy was at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) .He went to the DMCH along with his relatives and identified the body.

Abu Zafar then went to the school and talked to some students including one Saikat and the principal. He came to know that his son was beaten to death by a group of fellow students, the FIR said.

Nayon charged Bayazid for stealing mangoes and bananas from his room . Nayon and his friends started beating Bayazid as he denied the allegation. Bayazid collapsed and fell on the floor. Nayon then sat on his chest and beat him further, causing his death at around 4:00am on May 18 in 2000, the FIR alleged.

Police recovered the body and arrested eight, including the Vice-Principal of the school Jainul Abedin. Police pressed charges against Jainal Abedin and 10 others on October 8 the same year.