2006 Safiya murder case : Court convicts 3, acquits 2

Mangalore Today News Network

Kasargod, July 15, 2015  :   The District Sessions Court of Kasargod has convicted  three persons including a woman  in the Safiya murder case reported from Goa in 2006.  The court has also acquitted two others in the case. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced today (July 15).

Those convicted are KC Hamza (52) of Muliyar Mastikunda, his wife Maimoona( 48) and M Abdulla (48) of Arikkady, Kumble. Moidu Haji (59) of Ayyangeri in Madikeri, said to be a middleman and  Gopalkrishna, ASI of Adoor  (58), the fifth accused in this case have been acquitted  by the court.

The murder of 14 year old Safiya , daughter of  Ayesha and Moidu couple of Ayyangeri in Madikeri had taken place in Goa on December 15, 2006. Safiya was appointed as housemaid in the house of Hamza, a civil contractor in Goa where Safiya went missing under mysterious circumstances in December.

It was only when  her father visited Hamza’s house in Muliyar that he came to know that his daughter was missing. Soon after a complaint was lodged in Adoor police station.

But, when the Adoor police were in undue haste  to close the case,  locals protested following with a special team was formed to probe the case. It was only after the Crime Branch took up the case  that the murder came to light on July 8, 2008 when the skeletal remains of Safiya were traced.

Hamza had told the police that  she died of burn injuries  while boiling gruel at the house.  What has been gathered is that the body of Safiya was cut into three  pieces  even as she was alive and then dumped in a plastic bag and buried near the site of an under construction dam.

Meanwhile,  Adoor SI Gopalkrishna was suspended following allegations that huge amount was paid to him as bribe to close the case. Later he had moved the court  which formed an enquiry committee which however could not prove the charges. Subsequently the suspension orders were revoked.

The deceased girl Safiya’s father was at the court hall when the judgement was pronounced.