Murder convict denies killing Dhangethi businessman, claims confession coerced

The Bangladesh worker convicted of the murder a businessman from ADh. Dhangethi in 2021 told the High Court on Tuesday that he wishes to retract his confession.

Local businessman Mahmood Aboobakr, 57, was found murdered and dumped in a water well in an abandoned house in Dhangethi on the afternoon of October 14, 2021, hours after he was reported missing. 

Police arrested the then-29 years old Sha Alom Mia (Salim), a Bangladeshi national, in connection to the murder on October 16, 2021.

He was charged with murder with intent and abuse of a corpse. He pled guilty to both charges during the trial at Criminal Court.

At a High Court hearing Tuesday, Salim said he pled guilty because both his defense attorney and translator asked him to. He said he asked to be deported in exchange for his confession.

Salim said he had no involvement in Mahmood’s murder.

The bench gave him time to hire a new attorney.

Salim had worked as a live-in caregiver for an elderly man by the name of Aadhanbe at Nedhunge - a house close to where Mahmood’s body was found.

According to the State, Salim killed Mahmood using a knife and two sharpened iron rods, which he used to stab his chest and neck. Salim told the court he committed the murder to steal Mahmood’s money.

Salim had asked the State for reduced sentence in light of his confession. However, the State decided against a plea deal as all of Mahmood’s heirs asked for the death penalty.

The court found Salim guilty of Mahmood’s murder on January 26, 2022, and issued him the death penalty the next day.