Dhaka: The verdicts in two separate cases centring the inhuman torture leading to death of 13-year-old Rajon in Sylhet and 12-year-old Rakib in Khulna barely a month apart earlier in the year, will be delivered on Sunday.

Earlier, on 27 October Sylhet Metropolitan Session’s Judge Akbar Hossain Mridha fixed the verdict date on completion of placing arguments in the case.

On 25 October, all the arrested accused in the sensational murder case pleaded not guilty before the court. They claimed themselves innocent when the judge read out charges brought against them before them.

A total of 36 witnesses made their depositions before the court from 1 October till 18 October in connection with the Rajon murder.

Following a petition filed by accused Kamrul Islam, the court on 20 October allowed cross-examination of 11 witnesses. The defence lawyers cross-examined them the following day.

On 8 July, 13-year-old boy Sheikh Samiul Alam Rajon, son of Sheikh Azizur Rahman of Badeali village in Sadar upazila, was brutally tortured to death over a theft at Sundar Ali Market in Kumargaon area of the city.

The killers themselves took the video footage of the incident. The video clip went viral on social networking site Facebook and video-sharing site Youtube which triggered a widespread outcry.

The investigation officer of the case submitted charge sheet accusing 13 people on 16 August before the court in Sylhet.

The accused are Kamrul Islam, son of late Abdul Malek of Kumargaon Sheikhpara in Sylhet Sadar upazila, his brother Muhit Alam, Ali Haidar alias Ali, Shamim Alam, Pavel Islam, Moyna Miah alias Bara Moyna, Nur Ahmed alias Nur Miah, Dulal Ahmed, Ayaz Ali, Taj Uddin Badal, Firoz Maih, Asmot Ali alias Asmot Ullah and Ruhul Amin alias Ruhel.

On 15 October, fugitive accused Kamrul was brought home from Saudi Arabia. Later, a court sent him to jail when he was produced before the court on the following day.

Kamrul Islam, 24, had fled to Saudi Arabia after the incident where he was held by local Bangladeshis and then handed over to Jeddah police.

In the other case, Acting Judge of Khulna Metropolitan Session Judge Court Dilruba Sultana on 1 November fixed 8 November for delivering verdict on completion of placing arguments in the case.

A total of 38 witnesses made their depositions before the court in the case.

On 3 August, Rakib, who used to work at a motorcycle garage at Tutpara Central Road in Khulna city, was tortured to death allegedly by his former employer over quitting job.

Alam Haldar, victim’s father, filed a case with Sadar Police Station against three people–M Omar Sharif, Mintu and Beauty Begum–after the brutal killing.

Later, Mintu Khan, a so-called uncle of M Omar Sharif, the prime accused in the Rakib killing case, reportedly confessed to his crime before a local court on 13 August while Sharif made his confessional statement on 12 August and his mother Beauty Begum, also an accused in the case, confessed to her involvement in the incident on 6 August.

On 25 August, Kazi Mostak Ahmed, the investigation officer of the case submitted chargesheet against the three accused.