Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod
Kasargod, Jul 16: K C Hamza, the prime accused in the sensational Safiya murder case that took place in 2006 has been awarded death penalty.
The quantum of punishment was pronounced by the district principal sessions court on Thursday July 16.
Safiya
Hamza, Maimoona and Abdulla
Hamza has also been awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped with a penalty of Rs 10 lac, out of which Rs 8 lac would go to the victim's parents.
K C Hamza (52), a resident of Muliyar Mastikunda, his wife Maimoona (48), M Abdulla (48), a resident of Arikkady, Kumble, were found guilty of murdering 14-year-old Safiya in December 2006. The second accused in the case Moidu Haji and fifth accused Adoor police ASI Gopalkrishna were aquitted for lack of evidence.
Among the other convicts, Maimoona has been sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment in two cases, while Abdulla, who is Maimoona's elder brother, has been awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment. Both of them have been asked to pay Rs 5,000 as penalty. However, Maimoona needs to spend only three out of the six years in jail.
Pronouncing the judgement, principal sessions judge Justice M J Shaktidharan said that a man who had murdered a 14-year-old girl so cruelly was dangerous to society and hence deserved death penalty.
The murder had taken place in December 2006. Safiya, from Ayyangeri of Madikeri had been hired as a housemaid by Hamza and was working in his flat in Goa. While cooking, boiling gruel had fallen on Safiya, causing her severe burn injuries, but instead of taking her to hospital, Hamza kept her at home, fearing that he would be caught on charges of child labour. To cover up, Hamza chopped Safiya into three pieces while she was still alive and with the help of his wife Maimoona and Abdulla buried the body parts near a dam where Hamza was a contractor.
Though Safiya's disappearance came to light in December 2006 itself, it took two years for the murder to come to light, after initial probe by police failed to reveal the truth. Also Adoor ASI Gopalkrishna was suspended on charges of bribery and helping the accused in forging the entry register at the checkpost at the border town of Manjeshwaram to show that Safiya had travelled from Goa with the family in their car, but he was later reinstated due to lack of evidence.
There were no witnesses to the case, and the judgement was pronounced purely based on scientific methods and evidences.