Crimes Against Humanity
Discharge of Kamaruzzaman, Quader Mollah sought
Defence counsels of Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman yesterday sought discharge of their client from crimes against humanity charges at the International Crimes Tribunal-2.
Ehsan A Siddiq, one of Kamaruzzaman's counsels, made the plea in response to the prosecution's prayer to indict Kamaruzzaman who is facing nine charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971.
The tribunal, headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, adjourned the proceeding till tomorrow.
When yesterday's proceeding stated at 11:00am, after half an hour of the schedule time due to delay producing of Kamaruzzaman by the jail authorities, the tribunal asked the prosecution to give the jail authorities' explanation about the delay.
Reading out the discharge petition, Ehsan A Siddiq, said prosecution did not place sufficient legal ground or provide factual information maintaining domestic and international standards.
At one point of his argument, the tribunal drew defence counsel's attention to the prosecution's accusation of around 120 peoples' killing in Shohagpur village of Nalitalbari during the war as per the instruction and guidance of Kamaruzzaman.
Ehsan said as per the accounts of the prosecution witnesses of the incident, Kamaruzzaman "was not involved in the killing."
Kamaruzzaman was produced before the tribunal yesterday.
Case against Quader Mollah
After the lunch break, Abdur Razzaq, chief of defence counsels, placed his argument supporting the petition seeking discharge of another Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah.
Razzaq said investigation against his client started on 15 July, 2010 and prosecution submitted formal charges on December 12, 2011.
The prosecution takes around 18 months to submit the formal charge as everything against Quader Mollah is “fabricated,” said the defence chief.
Referring to a part of the formal charges, Razzaq said the part was taken as "verbatim” from a newspaper and the newspaper made the report quoting a book edited by Shahriar Kabir, executive president of Ekattorer Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, published on February of 2007.
After 40 years, Quader Mollah has been implicated not on the basis of investigation but on the book published in 2007, said Razzaq.
The tribunal adjourned the case proceeding till today.
Earlier, the defence counsels of former BNP lawmaker Abdul Alim sought discharge of their client from the same charges at the tribunal placing almost the same grounds.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments