Ruling MP Shaon cleared from Ibrahim murder case

A Dhaka court on Monday cleared Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon, the ruling Awami League lawmaker of Bhola-3 constituency, of the Jubo League leader Mohammad Ibrahim Ahmed murder case. The court, however, took into cognisance the charges against Shaon’s bodyguard Delwar Hossain, driver Kamal Hossain Kala, personal secretary Sohel Ahmed, and Jubo League activists Golam Mostafa Shimul, Mazharul Islam Mithu and Nur Hossain Munna.

Ibrahim, 38, a Juba League leader of Ward-56 of Dhaka City Corporation, was killed on August 13, 2010 night in Parliament complex when he was handling the licensed gun of Shaon inside his car and bullet said to have gone off it accidentally.

Masum Ahmed, younger brother of slain Juba League leader Ibrahim, filed a case against lawmaker Shaon and seven others with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Dhaka on August 18, 2010.

The plaintiff added that the accused did not want Ibrahim to succeed in his political career and that is why Shaon called him over phone and asked him to give up his dream of becoming the councillor of a ward of DCC.

He claimed that the accused killed Ibrahim and later filed the unnatural death case to divert the investigation.

In line with a court directive, inspector of Detective Branch of police Shah Moshiur Rahman yesterday filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station in connection with the incident on September 3, 2010.

Azim Uddin, sub-inspector of the police station, said Moshiur did not accuse anyone in the case.

Moshiur mentioned that they became sure through the statements of driver Kamal Hossain and personal secretary Sohel Ahmed during interrogation that Ibrahim was murdered.

On completion of his police remand Kamal Hossain Kala, driver of Awami League lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon, on September 3, 2010 confessed to shooting Ibrahim Ahmed during a tussle and recorded the confessional statements before the magistrate under section 164.

Kala made the confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate, who sent him to jail.

Home Minister Sahara Khatun on December 7, 2010 asked the authorities concerned to place the Ibrahim killing case as a sensational one at the next monitoring cell meeting.

Metropolitan Magistrate Kamrunnahar Rumi cleared the ruling party lawmaker and Juba League leader Shaon following an appeal by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) saying that the charges brought against him were not proved.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kamrunnahar Rumi also cleared four other Jubo League activists -Mizan, Jibon, Riton and Alam – as evidence of their involvement in the killing was not found.

The investigation officer, an assistant superintendent of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Khondaker M Abdul Halim on January 11 submitted the charge sheet against six people excluding Shaon in connection with Ibrahim Ahmed killing. The investigator made Shaon a prosecution witness instead of charging him with the murder, even though victim’s brother Masum Ahmed filed a case accusing lawmaker Shaon and seven others with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Dhaka on August 18, 2010.

News Source:  The Independent