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proceedings in five hearings, bench assistant Pankoj Peter Gomes told The Daily Star.

Yesterday, the tribunal heard arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.

During the arguments, Special Public Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu told the court that the charges against prime accused Sohel Rana, 31, and his wife and co-accused Swapna Khatun, 26, had been proved beyond reasonable doubt through the testimonies and cross-examination of 16 witnesses. Therefore, both accused deserve the death penalty, he argued.

However, state defence counsel Musa Kalimullah sought a light sentence for the accused.

He said, “The charge sheet was submitted based on the confessional statement. The knife allegedly used in the killing was not subjected to a forensic test. A conviction cannot be handed down solely on that basis.

“The accused, Sohel, gave a confession implicating himself. He was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident. Taking that into consideration, we seek a sentence of life imprisonment for him.”

The lawyer further said, “As for Swapna, the testimonies of the 16 witnesses contain nothing against her except the allegation of concealing the body. She should be punished under Section 201 of the Penal Code.”

Section 201 of the Penal Code criminalises concealing or destroying evidence, or providing false information to shield an offender, with penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment and fines, depending on the severity of the underlying crime.

Earlier in the day, the proceedings began at around 11:45am, when the judge took the bench, slightly later than the scheduled 11:30am start after police informed the court that Swapna had fallen ill.

Ramisa, a second-grade student of Popular Model High School, was found beheaded on May 19 in the house of her neighbour, Sohel.

The following day, Ramisa’s father, Abdul Hannan Mollah, filed a case with Pallabi Police Station, accusing the couple and an unidentified person.

According to the case statement, Sohel lured Ramisa into his room and raped her. Investigators said he later slit her throat and attempted to dismember the body to conceal the crime.

The next day, the tribunal completed the recording of testimony. A total of 16 prosecution witnesses -- including the victim’s parents and elder sister, three neighbours, a doctor, a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate, and the investigator -- gave statements before the tribunal.

On May 24, investigator Ohiduzzaman, a sub-inspector of Pallabi Police Station, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s (CMM) Court in Dhaka, accusing Sohel of rape, murder, and destruction of evidence, and Swapna of destruction of evidence and providing false information.

Several hours later, the CMM Court transferred the case to the Children Violence Suppression Tribunal for trial.

On Monday, the tribunal framed charges against the accused couple.