ICT hears second plea against Prosecutor

The first war crimes tribunal briefly heard a second application to remove Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum for alleged collusion with the judge.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 Jan 2013, 06:59 AM
Updated : 10 Jan 2013, 07:43 AM

Jamaat-e-Islami guru Ghulam Azam’s defence prayed that the application be heard along with the one filed by BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, since both sought the same ends.

Chowdhury’s application is expected to come up for hearing on Jan 14.

The former Jamaat chief, indicted for five war crimes charges including incitement and complicity, also filed another application to include newspaper reports of an alleged Skype conversation between the former tribunal Chairman and a Brussels-based international law expert.

Malum said the tribunal had already ruled on the matter and thus this application should be outright rejected and contempt proceedings drawn upon the defence counsels.

The Prosecutor was most likely referring to a recent order rejecting the retrial applications where the court said the defence had failed to show anything to the effect that hacked Skype or email communications were admissible as evidence.

The defence counsels said according to the rules of the tribunal, newspaper reports did have probative value.

The tribunal is expected to rule on the matter on Sunday.

In another case against one Rustam Ali Shikdar, the court granted him bail and directed the investigation agency to submit a complete probe report by Apr 30 when Shikdar will have to be present in person.

The bail was given against a bond of Tk 20,000 and considering the man’s old age — he is 90 — and other ailments.