Kochi: The Ernakulam POCSO court will sentence Asfaq Alam, accused in the brutal rape and murder of the five-year-old girl in Aluva, on Tuesday morning. The court upheld all 13 charges lodged against the accused including murder, kidnapping, torture, disrespecting a dead body and destroying evidence. 

The prosecution argued that the case should be considered as a rare one while the defence argued that considering the accused’s age, a chance to repent should be offered. The court had earlier sought a report on Asfaq’s mental state and behaviour in jail.

The body of the young girl was found in a garbage dump behind Aluva market on July 28 following a massive search operation for the missing child.