HC upholds death sentence for 5 in journalist Aftab killing case

The High Court on Wednesday upheld the lower court verdict that awarded death sentences to five accused and life imprisonment for another accused in connection with acclaimed photojournalist Aftab Ahmed killing case of 2013.
The HC bench comprising Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Md Bashir Ullah delivered the verdict after hearing their appeal petitions.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General Samira Taranum Rabeya Miti and Assistant Attorney General Zahid Ahmed Hero appeared for the state while lawyers Khandker Mahbub Hossain, SM Shahjahan and Md Helal Uddin Mollah argued for the convicts during hearing.
Afroza Ahmed Bonna, daughter of journalist Aftab Ahmed, expressed satisfaction over the High Court verdict and wanted execution of the verdict immediately.
"We are happy to hear the High Court verdict. We hope the Appellate Division will also uphold the High Court verdict. We want to execution of the verdict," she said.
On March 28, 2017, Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 judge Abdur Rahman Sardar sentenced five men to death and another to life imprisonment for the murder of Aftab.
The condemned convicts are Billal Hossain Kislu, Habib Howladar, Raju Munshi, Rasel and driver Humayun Kabir Molla. Of them, Raju Munshi and Russel were tried in absentia.
The lifer was Sabuj Khan. The court also imposed a fine of Tk 10,000 on him.
On December 25, 2013, photojournalist Aftab Ahmed of the Daily Ittefaq, an Ekushey Padak recipient, was found dead at his West Rampura WAPDA Road residence. He was 69.
Driver Humayun, Habib and Billal subsequently made a confessional statements before the court that they had strangled the victim to death while committing robbery in his house.
Billal looted Tk 72,000 from his residence and shared the money with others involved in the killing, according to police.
Aftab received the coveted Ekushey Padak in 2006.