Gang rape victim Serafina Mardi gave up her life in protest at the settlement by the community leaders and Surshunipara Catholic Church in Godagari that forced her family to stay away from legal proceedings.
Police, family members of the indigenous victim and the community leaders said the settlement was done at a time when Serafina’s rape case was under trial and for the sake of protecting the religion.
In the settlement, it was fixed that the rapists would give an amount of Tk 1.4 lakh to the family as compensation while Serafina to wed to Nirmol Murmu, one of the rapists.
Reverend Bernard Tudu, a priest of the church, said the families of the nine rapists attempted to leave the Amtulipara village following the filing of the rape case. The local community leaders initiated the settlement in a bid to protect the village where 36 indigenous Christian families have been living since 2005.
He denied the involvement of the church while talking to The Daily Star at Rajshahi Caritas office.
Revd Tudu said the settlement took place on the church premises weeks after the rape incident on April 24 last year. He only kept the fine money to hand it over to the victim’s family on February 11.
SM Rokon Uddin, Superintendent of police (SP) in Rajshahi, said the church authorities called all the rapists to the church and performed their confessions.
The SP said police had pressed charges against all the nine accused on August 11 last year but the rapists were acquitted as no prosecution witness appeared before the court.
Police is yet to take actions against the people involved in the out-of-court settlement although the rapists are allegedly threatening the victim’s family not to file any more cases.
“We have recorded an unnatural death case following Serafina’s suicide,” said the SP.
The rapists are still at large, said the villagers.
M Noor Khan, one of the directors of Ain O Shalish Kendra, said there is no scope for out-of-court settlement during the legal proceeding of rape incidents and the involvement of the leaders of any religion in the settlement is a punishable offence.
“The entire process of the settlement was illegal as it was done to avoid court trial. All those who are involved in it must be punished,” observed Khan.
Visiting Serafina’s house at Amtulipara yesterday The Daily Star experienced a feeling of deep shock and silence among the family members. The family buried Serafina overnight.
“If the priest asks me to accept the settlement, what else can I do? I have to live here with three other daughters having the rapists as neighbours,” said victim’s father Cornelius Mardi, a farm labourer.
Revd Tudu, however, denied that he ever met Serafina’s father.
Cornelius alleged that Moheswar Soren, Lobin Hembrom, Jotin, Monir Murmu, Amin, Bhawani, Fabian Murmu, Moti Mardi were among the village leaders who forced him to accept the judgement of the settlement.
Serafina’s mother Susana Soren alleged that instead of taking actions against the rapists, the community leaders on the next day of the rape incident fined her husband with Tk 1,200 for publicly yelling at the rapists.
Godagari Pargapa Parishad president Biswanath Tudu, among other community leaders, headed the settlement. He said the settlement was aimed to maintain peace in the community. “While both the sides accepted the judgement, what is the problem here?” he wondered.
Dhonai Soren, president of Kakonhat Poura Pargana Parishad, said he walked out from the settlement protesting the fining instead of trial.
After the settlement, when the accused started roaming freely at the village again, Serafina felt humiliated. She set herself on fire pouring kerosene on the body on February 17. The poor girl was admitted to the surgery ward of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
MA Hannan, head of the surgery ward, said Serafina had 75 percent burn on her body and was referred to Dhaka for better treatment. However, her family took her home within two days of the admission to the hospital under a risk bond, he added.
In his defence, Serafina’s father said he took her home as he could not afford to take Serafina to Dhaka.
Jatiya Adivashi Parishad protested the incident of rape and the settlement and demanded punishment to the rapists and those who saved them from the trial.
