Judgment against 6 Gaibandha war crimes accused any day

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 will pronounce judgement any day in a case filed against six Gaibandha men for their alleged crimes committed during the liberation war in 1971 as the hearing of the case ended on Tuesday.

“We are keeping the judgement CAV (a Latin legal term meaning the court awaits judgement),” Justice Anwarul Haque, chairman of the three-judge panel, said.

The six accused are former lawmaker Abdul Aziz alias Ghoramara Aziz, 65, Md Ruhul Amin alias Monju, 61, Md Abdul Latif, 61, Abu Muslim Mohammad Ali, 59, Md Nazmul Huda, 60, and Md Abdur Rahim Miah, 62.

All the accused but Latif are being tried in absentia as the law enforcement agencies are yet to arrest them.

Earlier in the day, the prosecution and the defence concluded their legal arguments in the case.

Senior prosecutor Syed Haider Ali, Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon and Sheikh Mushfeq Kabir were present on behalf of the state, while advocates Rezaul Haque and Gazi MH Tamim stood for the accused.

The ICT-1 on March 20, 2016, indicted the accused, framing three charges of crimes against humanity against them.

A total of 15 prosecution witnesses, including two investigation officers, testified in the case, while there were no defence witnesses to vouch for the accused.

According to the prosecution, Ghoramara Aziz and Monju raised local Peace Committee and Razakar Bahini during the liberation war in 1971. They committed crimes against humanity including genocide in their locality with the help of other accused.

Source: BSS