5 to walk gallows for killing Khalaf

Saudi ambassador expresses satisfaction over the verdict

 

Saudi official Khalaf Al Ali 

A speedy trial tribunal of Dhaka on Sunday awarded death penalty to five people in Saudi Embassy official Khalaf Al Ali murder case.
The condemned convicts are: Mohammad Al Amin, Saiful Islam Mamun, Rafiqul Islam Khokon, Akbar Ali Lalu and Selim Chowdhury.
Khalaf, 45, an official at the consular section of the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka, was shot dead near his Gulshan house in the capital's diplomatic enclave on March 6 this year.
Judge Mohammad Motahar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 in Dhaka pronounced the verdict Sunday afternoon.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi and one of Khalaf brothers, Khalaf Al-Khaled, who were present at the courtroom, told reporters that they were satisfied over the verdict.
Of the condemned killers, Al Amin, Mamun, Khokon and Lalu are behind the bars while Selim is on the run.
The punishment of the fugitive will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender, the court added during its pronouncement of judgement.
Earlier on December 20, the judge fixed the date for verdict after completing the hearing on arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
On December 17, the prosecution of the case concluded their arguments and appealed to the court for giving capital punishment to the five accused involved in the killing.
Detective Branch of police arrested the four--Al Amin, Mamun, Khokon and Lalu--in connection with a robbery case in June. The accused were shown arrested in the Saudi official murder case on July 24.
The DB police on September 20, pressed charges in the murder case against the five accused including Selim.
On October 23, the case was transferred to the tribunal from Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court for quick disposal as per the home ministry decision.