Lungnila case
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 21 2018:
Maibam Manojkumar, Session Judge, Imphal West, has reserved the charge order for the miscellaneous application prayer filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Th Nando and two others, in connection with the ongoing trial of the murder of Lungnila Elizabeth, till March 26 .
The accused individuals of the case, Thokchom Nando, Letkhosei Haokip alias James Kuki and Ningombam Rome, were produced before the Court from Sajiwa Central Jail today for the argument hearing and the miscellaneous application filed by the CBI for the inclusion of IPC section 376 in the charges levelled against the accused individuals.
The Court went through the CBFs application and heard the submission of Special PP, CBI, and the counsels of the accused individuals, before deciding to reserve the order till March 26 .
The Court also fixed the same day (March 26) for further hearing of the case.
The hearing of the case began from February 3, after the examination of the three accused was held on November 29 last year.
On the day of examination, none of the accused individuals prayed for producing defense counsel.
The last prosecution witness of the session trial case was examined and discharged by the Court, the same month (November).
During the decade long trial of the case, the Court has examined 65 prosecution witnesses produced by the CBI, starting from February 6, 2008, after the investigating agency CBI crime branch submitted charge sheet against the four accused involved in the case.
During the trial of the case one of the accused, O Deben alias Arnold, passed away.
It may be mentioned that 8 years old Lungnila Elizabeth, daughter of then Minister Francis Ngajokpa was kidnapped by some unknown individuals from her school gate (Little Flower School) on November 4, 2003 and her highly decomposed body was found in a sack at Tera Sadokpam Leikai, Imphal West, on November 12 the same year.
The incident triggered mass protest across the State.