Initial probe finds CCTV hard drive swap: prosecutor

International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Tanvir Hassan Zoha yesterday said preliminary findings suggest hard drives meant to remain inside the tribunal’s CCTV system had been replaced.

“From our initial findings, we have learned that the hard drives were replaced. Completely new drives were installed there. This is now under investigation,” Zoha said while speaking to reporters at the ICT premises.

The issue surfaced during an attempt to verify an allegation that a family member of an accused, who later became a state witness in the Ashulia body-burning case, had entered the room of ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim carrying a bag of money.

ICT Prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud earlier alleged that a member of the family of former police sub-inspector Sheikh Abzalul Haque, an accused in the case, entered Tamim’s room with a bag containing money.

“In the preliminary stage, we have seen indications in the CCTV footage and the registrar records that some of the hard drives were replaced with others, both old and new,” Zoha said.

He added that the matter has already been reported to the tribunal’s fact-finding committee formed to investigate a series of allegations involving members of the prosecutors.

Questions over the tribunal’s CCTV system first surfaced after ICT Prosecutor Sultan alleged in a Facebook post on February 23 that Abzalul’s wife entered the chamber of a powerful prosecutor carrying a heavy bag.

In the post, he also claimed that Abzalul was later made a prosecution witness in exchange for money and was eventually acquitted.

Following the allegation and other claims of unethical conduct within the prosecution team, ICT Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam formed a fact-finding committee on March 10 to probe the matter.

However, verifying the allegation may be difficult, as the hard drive that was meant to contain CCTV footage outside the prosecutor’s office on the day of the incident was reportedly replaced weeks later, according to the prosecution.