Safiya murder case: Death sentence reduced to life sentence

Kasaragod: K C Hamsa from Muliyaru Mastikund, who is the first accused in the murder case of a girl Sofiya, a resident of Ayyangeri in Kodagu, had been sentenced to death by the district court which the state high court has now brought down the sentence to life imprisonment.

The third accused in the case, K C Hamsa’s wife Maimun was sentenced to 4 yeas incarceration and fined Rs 1 lakh, while the 4^th accused was Abdulla of Arikkadi Kunnil was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. However, the high court has presently cancelled the sentences of both the accused.

The allegation that Hamsa had kidnapped Safiya has remained unproved. Maimun does not have a direct connection with the murder case and there is no proof that Abdulla had helped to carry and bury the corpse, opinioned the high court.

Hamsa was a contractor in Goa. It is learnt from the investigation conducted under the leadership of crime branch DySP K V Santhosh Kumar that Safiya was working at the house in Bovikkan and in December 2006, Hamsa and Maimun had taken her to Goa and that they had chopped her down and disposed her. While working in Goa, a hot vessel containing congee fell on the girl and burnt her. The accused has accepted that the girl was murdered after he feared repercussion regarding manhandling of minors.