Staff Reporter :
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday sentenced death penalty to one accused and imprisonment till death to three others for committing crimes against humanity like murder, abduction and torture at Lakhai upazila of Habiganj district during the Liberation War in 1971.
A three-member tribunal headed by Justice Md Shahinur Islam delivered the verdict after concluding the case. The tribunal, however, acquitted another accused as the prosecution could not prove his guilt.
Among the convicts, Md Shafi Uddin Ahmed was awarded death penalty, while Tajul Islam, Jahed Mia and Salek Mia were given jail until death. Another accused Sabbir Ahmed was acquitted.
Shafi Uddin Ahmed and Sabbir Ahmed are absconding since the starting of the case, while the three others are in the jail now.
All of them are from Lakhai upazila of Habiganj and were charged, among others, with abduction, torture and killing during the Liberation War in 1971.
Prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon appeared in the hearing on behalf of the state, while lawyers Abdus Sattar Palwan and Gazi M H Tamim appeared for the accused.
Five charges of killing, abduction, torture, looting and arson during the Liberation War were brought against the accused.
The tribunal sentenced Shafi, Jahed, Salek and Tajul to 15 years in prison for each in one charge. It sentenced Shafi to death and other three to imprisonment till death for the second charge brought against them.
Six years ago, on March 22, 2016, the investigation agency of the tribunal started the investigation into crimes committed by the accused. The tribunal issued arrest warrant against them on November 22 in 2017.
Later the law enforcers arrested three of the accused, Jahed, Salek and Tajul. The investigation agency completed the probe against the accused on March 21 in 2018. Later the investigation report was placed in the tribunal.
The tribunal started the trial proceedings on February 7 in 2019. Testimony in the case started on March 24, 2019 and continued till January 18 this year.
Nine people testified in the case during this period. After that, the argument of the case started on February 27 and ended on May 17. The tribunal on the same day kept the case awaiting for verdict.
Lawyer Abdus Sattar Palwan said his clients were charged with fake stories. They will file appeal with the Appellate Division against the verdict.
The first verdict came in 2013 after the formation of the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh in 2010 for the trial of the crimes against humanity committed during the liberation war of 1971. Since then, the tribunal has delivered a total of 46 verdicts.
