Barguna court set to deliver verdict in Refat Shorif murder amid tight security

A Barguna court is set to decide the fate of Aysha Siddika Minny and nine other suspects in the daylight murder of her husband Refat Shorif in the district town on Wednesday.

District and Sessions Judge Md Asaduzzaman will deliver the verdict in the closely-watched case amid tight security. The arguments of both sides in the case closed on Sept 16.

Of the 24 people formally charged over the grisly murder that sent shockwaves across the country in 2019, 10 have been tried as adults in a regular court.

The 14 other suspects are facing trial in the juvenile court in Barguna.

Aysha Siddika Minny, one of the accused in the daylight murder of her husband Refat Shorif, arrives at the court in Barguna on her father’s motorcycle ahead of the verdict in the closely-watched case, Sept 30, 2020.

A large police contingent has been deployed to the court premises, while traffic is also being controlled in the area.

All lawyers and petitioners had to go through a security check to enter the court premises.

Judge Asaduzzaman arrived in court at around 7:15 am amid tight security.

Minny’s father Mozammel Haque Kishore drove her to the district court on his motorcycle on Wednesday morning. Minny is the only suspect who was granted bail in the case.

Refat was hacked to death on a Barguna road on Jun 26. A video of Minny's desperate attempts to save her husband went viral on social media.

The following day, Refat’s father Dulal Shorif accused 12 people in the case over the murder.

The case subsequently took a new turn after Dulal accused Minny of having a hand in the killing.

Barguna Sadar Police Inspector Md Humayun Kabir later pressed charges in court against 24 people, including Minny, on Sep 2, 2019.