HC commutes death of SC lawyer Sayma murder convict

The High Court today commuted the death sentence of convict Md Faizul Islam to life imprisonment in the sensational Supreme Court lawyer Sayma Khanum murder case.

Advocate Sayma Khanum, 44, a former cultural affairs secretary of Dhaka Bar Association, was stabbed to death inside her Elephant Road apartment in Dhaka on July 17, 2007.

One week later, the law enforcers arrested Faizul Islam, an assistant accountant in the Public Works Department, who later confessed to the killing of Sayma. He also claimed that he gave a total of Tk 12 lakh to Sayma who promised to arrange a cadre service job for him under the 27th BCS examination, but in vain.

A Dhaka court on October 4, 2011 sentenced Faizul to death for killing Sayma.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty commuted the death sentence of Faizul to life imprisonment after hearing the death reference and appeals filed by Faizul challenging the trial court verdict.

Deputy Attorney General Monirizzaman Rubel told The Daily Star that the HC commuted the death sentence of Faizul to life imprisonment on the ground that he was a youth of 30 years while he committed the offence and he had a provocation that he had given money to Sayma for a better job, but she (Sayma) had failed to arrange the job for him.

The deputy attorney, however, said the government will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the apex court seeking capital punishment for Faizul.

Advocate Sarwar Ahmed appeared for Faizul.