PW gives false statement
Say Sayedee's lawyers
Defence counsels of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee yesterday suggested that prosecution witness AKM Abdul Awal MP gave a false deposition to the International Crimes Tribunal because Sayedee was his political rival.
“You are the present lawmaker and Sayedee is a former MP with different ideologies,” said counsel Majur Ahmed Ansari, adding, “So, driven by envy, you instigated the filing of a false case against Sayedee with help of the government, and gave a false statement against him.”
Awal, the 12th prosecution witness in the case filed against Sayedee in connection with crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War, said it was not true.
The tribunal led by its chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq yesterday finished recording the cross-examination of the ruling party lawmaker from Pirojpur.
Awal had testified in the case on Tuesday.
Counsels of Sayedee Mizanul Islam, Kafil Uddin Chowdhury and Manjur Ahmed Ansari cross-examined Awal by turns yesterday.
Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Sayedee is among five Jamaat and two BNP leaders facing charges of crimes against humanity committed during the war in 1971.
The court went into session at 10:30am by holding a hearing on the bail petition filed by former Jamaat leader Ghulam Azam. After the hearing, the court began recording the cross-examination of Abdul Awal.
The 58-year-old faced questions about the peace committee and collaborators' force in Pirojpur area, area they were operating and their commanders, and about the time when Pirojpur was liberated in 1971.
Answering to questions, Awal told the defence counsels that he did not file any case against any collaborator or give any testimony against Sayedee over the last 40 years.
At the fag end of the cross-examination, counsel Manjur Ahmed Ansari told the witness that the allegations he brought against Sayedee in his testimony are false.
He concluded by saying that Sayedee was not in Pirojpur or Parerhaat, where he allegedly committed crimes against humanity, as the witness claimed, up to mid-July 1971 from the beginning of the Liberation War.
Awal said the suggestions were not true.
The tribunal is scheduled to record the deposition of the 13th prosecution witness today.
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