Siblings get life sentence for acid attack on cousins

In a long-awaited verdict on a legal fight spanning over 11 years, a Chattogram court has sentenced two siblings— brother and sister— to life in prison for throwing acid on their two female cousins.

The convicted— Sharmin Farzana Latif Saki, 34, and her younger brother Muhammad Iftekhar Latif Saadi, 30— have also been fined Tk80,000 for their crime.

Chattogram Metropolitan Additional Sessions Judge Nargis Akhter gave the verdict on the case on Wednesday.

According to court sources, Saki and Sadi planned and executed the crime in 2010, some 10 days before one of their victims—Muntaha Karina— was to be married. 

According to the case statement, the now convicted siblings were visiting Karina's home in Chattogram's Joynagar area to attend her marriage ceremony. During their stay there, on the morning of 2 October 2010, Saki threw acid on Karina and her sister Salsabil Tasmim. The sisters were 20 and 15 years old respectively at the time. The attack burned their bodies.

The case statement also stated that in an attempt to divert suspicion from herself, Saki threw some acid on her own face as well.

The acid was arranged by Sadi, the statement said.

The suspects were arrested by the police on 11 April 2011.

According to media reports quoting Karina's mother, Saki's jealousy of Karina, who was younger and more beautiful than her and was soon to be married, was the motive for the attack.

Speaking about the verdict, prosecutor Taslim Uddin told The Business Standard, along with life imprisonment, the court has fined Saki Tk50,000 and Sadi Tk30,000. Failing to pay the fine, they are subject to an additional seven years in prison.

The court gave its verdict after hearing the testimonies of 22 witnesses.