The Orissa High Court has overturned the death sentences of nine individuals, commuting them to life imprisonment in connection with a 2016 triple murder case rooted in accusations of witchcraft. The decision was handed down by a division bench consisting of Justices S K Sahoo and R K Pattnaik, who ruled that life sentences would be more appropriate than capital punishment.
The nine convicted had been found guilty by a Rayagada district court in 2021 for the murder of three members of a family, including Asina Sabar, his wife Ambai, and their elder daughter Asimani. The incident, which took place in Kitum village under the jurisdiction of Puttasingh police station, was reportedly motivated by suspicions that the victims were practicing witchcraft.
During the trial, it was revealed that the family’s younger daughter, Melita, who was only 10 at the time, along with her two younger brothers, narrowly escaped the attack and managed to flee for their lives.
In their ruling, Justices Sahoo and Pattnaik stated, “We commute the death sentence to life imprisonment. They are sentenced to life for each of the three murders committed, and the sentences shall run concurrently.” The court further specified that the convicted individuals would remain imprisoned for the remainder of their natural lives, without the possibility of remission or commutation.
Additionally, the high court ordered the Odisha government to provide compensation to the surviving family members. Melita and her two brothers are to receive a total of Rs 30 lakh under the Odisha Victim Compensation (Amendment) Scheme-2018, with each sibling receiving an equal share of Rs 10 lakh for each murder.
