A Magura court on Tuesday set May 17 to deliver the much-talked-about verdict in the sensational rape and murder case of eight-year-old Asiya.

Judge Md Zahid Hasan of the Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal fixed the date after concluding arguments from both the plaintiff and the defence.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Advocate Monirul Islam Mokul, said arguments were presented in presence of the accused and expressed the hope that justice would be served for the victim.

A total of 29 witnesses testified in the case and seven pieces of evidence were seized, he added.

The rape took place on the night of March 5, when the victim was visiting her sister’s in-laws’ house in Nijnanduali village of Sadar upazila.

She went to bed with her sister that night, but around midnight, her sister found her missing and began searching for her.

4 more witnesses testify in Magura girl rape-murder case

After a frantic search, the girl was found unconscious a few yards from the house.

She was initially admitted to Magura General Hospital and later transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital as her condition worsened.

She was then moved to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and later to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka, where she died on March 13.

The brutal incident sparked protests across the country. University students, including those from Dhaka University, staged demonstrations on their campuses demanding capital punishment for the accused.

Police arrested the victim’s brother-in-law Sajib Sheikh, 20; his brother Ratul Sheikh, 25; and their parents Hitu Sheikh, 50, and Jabeda Begum, 40, in connection with the incident.

On April 13, sub-inspector Md Alauddin of Magura Sadar Police Station, the investigation officer in the case, submitted a charge sheet to the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, naming the four as accused.

4 accused indicted in Magura girl rape, murder case

Earlier, on April 23, the same court framed charges against them.

Prime accused Hitu Sheikh has been charged with rape and murder, and he made a confessional statement before the court.