Bangladesh Cyber Tribunal today in its maiden judgement in a case lodged under Digital Security Act (DSA), sentenced former officer in-charge (OC) of Sonagazi Police Station Moazzem Hossain to 8-year jail.
Judge Mohammad Ash-Shams Jaglul Hossain pronounced the judgement at around 2.40pm in the presence of the accused, also fining him Taka 15 lakh in a case related to madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi’s killing.
Police brought Moazzem from Kashimpur Central Jail to court at 9am and kept him in court lockup. He was taken to the courtroom after 2pm.
The tribunal on November 20 set today to pass the verdict as both the prosecution and the defence concluded their arguments in the case on that day. A total of 12 witnesses including investigation officer (IO) Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) senior ASP Rima Sultana testified in the case.
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman lodged the case on April 15 under section 26, 29 and 31 of DSA against Moazzem for illegally recording Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi’s statement on video and spreading it online.
Earlier on July 17, the tribunal framed charges in the case as Moazzem pleaded not guilty before the court.
The tribunal on June 17 sent Moazzem Hossain to jail after scrapping his plea for bail in the case. Moazzem was arrested from capital’s Shahbagh area on June 16.
The tribunal on May 27 issued arrest warrant against the disgraced cop a day after Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted its probe report over the incident.
According to the allegations, the former Sonagazi OC summoned Nusrat as she filed a case against Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa principal Siraj Uddoula for sexual harassment.
The police official in his room started quizzing her about the incident and was recording the whole incident in absence of any lawyer or female cop. He was seen scolding her and asking Nusrat indecent questions. Moazzem later posted the video on different social media sites.
Nusrat was set on fire on April 6 by Siraj Uddoula’s stooges and she succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 10.
Nusrat had accused Sirajuddoula of harassing her sexually on March 27 while she was exposed to his extreme vengeance on April 6 as she went to the madrasa to appear in Alim examination.
A group of masked youths, later found to be the cronies of the disgraced principal, took Nusrat to the rooftop of the madrasa and set her on fire after tying her with her scarf.
(BSS)
