“The prosecution failed to prove them guilty”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Bangladesh pace bowler Shahadat Hossain and his wife have been acquitted on charges of assaulting and torturing an 11-year-old girl they hired as a maid, according to prosecutor Ali Asgar.

In October last year, Shahadat and his wife, Nritto, were arrested and charged after the young girl was found crying by the side of the road with bruised and swollen eyes.

Several witnesses, including the girl herself, gave statements before the court. During her statement on August 25, the victim said that Shahadat and his wife had not tortured her.

“The couple have been released as the prosecution failed to prove them guilty,” Asgar, from the women and children repression prevention tribunal, told AFP.

Shahadat added: “The truth has won.”

After being found, the girl proceeded to file charges against the pair, but they pleaded not guilty. Despite this, they spent two months in police custody before they were both released on bail. During that time, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) banned Shahadat from playing in all forms of the game. However, in May, they lifted their ban on the 30-year-old and allowed him to play domestic cricket.

Having been acquitted of all charges, Shahadat admitted that he was eager to represent Bangladesh once again.

“I still have something to give to my country,” he told AFP.