The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Tuesday asked the defence counsel to produce the remaining two defence witnesses on Wednesday justifying the plea of alibi during the 1971 Liberation War as claimed by war crimes accused BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.
“We give a chance once and for all allowing the defence adjournment plea for ends of justice although Barrister Fakhrul Islam failed to leave up to his words,” said ICT chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir while disposing of the defence plea.
“No further time will be given,” warned the ICT chairman.
As the matter came up before the three-member tribunal, defence counsel Fakhrul without submitting attendance of the defence witnesses moved two petitions — one for allowing an affidavit of the mother of DW Justice Shamim Hasnain bearing out that the accused had been in Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War and the other for adjournment of the trial proceedings as DW Salman F Rahman, now staying in Makkah, fell sick and DW Justice Hasnain awaits official approval of the Chief Justice in this regard.
Designated prosecutor Zead Al Malum opposed both the defence petitions saying, “None of the petitions are tenable in the eye of law and rules and those are liable to be rejected.”
The prosecutor also prayed for closing the chapter of taking evidence of defence witnesses without delay and switch over to law-point argument phase in the case.
Hearing both sides, the tribunal rejected the defence plea of accepting the affidavit of Justice Hasnain’s mother and allowed the time petition as the last option for producing the two DWs.
Salauddin Quader Chowdhury faces trial on 23 counts of charges under different provisions of section 3 (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, including genocide in collaboration with Pakistan occupation army, killing, extermination of Hindu minority groups, deportation, persecution and abduction in Chittagong district.
Source: UNB Connect
