Minor daughter's evidence nails man, gets him life term

AURANGABAD: The fifth sessions judge at Aurangabad, S S Gosawi, on Friday sentenced 40-year-old Shaikh Yousuf Shaikh Abbas to life imprisonment for murdering his wife suspecting her fidelity in Shekhpurwadi in Khuldabad taluka in April 2007. The judge also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on the convict; in case of default, he would have to undergo a further three months of simple imprisonment.
Circumstantial evidence and evidence of the man's now 12-year-old daughter proved crucial in the trial, said additional public prosecutor Rajendra Mugdia. He said the convict, who was in the floor mill business, used to suspect the fidelity of his wife Mamunabi. In April 2007, Yousuf picked up a quarrel with his wife. After driving his three children, including eldest daughter Sana, out of the residence, in a fit of rage, Yousuf had latched the door from inside and attacked Mamunabi with an axe repeatedly, causing her instant death. His daughter was peeping into the house and had witnessed the entire episode.
After listening to the cries of the woman and the children, Yousuf's neighbours had rushed to the spot and asked Yousuf to open the door. He came out, saying that he had done what he had to do and ran away from the scene, said Mugdia. The villagers informed the police who rushed the woman to the government hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Yousuf was arrested the following day. He has been in prison since his arrest, said Mugdia.
The prosecution examined 12 witnesses. The evidence of the victim's daughter proved crucial in the trial, in addition to the statements of other witnesses and circumstantial evidence. Following the trial, the fifth sessions judge Gosawi sentenced Yousuf to life imprisonment.