Crimes against humanity: 3 for life, 5 for 20 years, one acquitted

News Desk: 3 out of 9 people of Mymensingh's Gafargaon have been sentenced to life imprisonment, 5 people have been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and one person named Abdul Latif has been acquitted for crimes against humanity including murder, looting, arson, abduction, detention and torture during the liberation war of 1971. Thursday (February 11) at 12 noon, the chairman of the tribunal.

The verdict was announced by a three-member International Criminal Tribunal headed by Justice Shahinur Islam. The members are Justice Amir Hossain and Justice Abu Ahmed Jamadar. After the verdict was announced, the state prosecutor said. Mokhlesur Rahman Badal said this was the first case where the tribunal acquitted an accused.

And this is the first case in which no accused has been sentenced to death. There are four charges against the accused for killing four people and detaining nine others during the war of liberation. Their trial began on March 13, 2016. The trial ended on January 26 last year. Four of the accused were fugitives. Five people were produced before the tribunal today.

However, on the morning of the verdict, a fugitive accused Alimuddin Khan appeared before the tribunal. The tribunal officials said that after the verdict is announced, the next step will be taken to verify whether he is the real accused. The investigation of the case started on October 16, 2014 and ended on February 18, 2016. It was submitted to the Prosecutor on February 20.

Although 60 witnesses testified during the investigation, 29 were called as witnesses. Besides, two others were witnesses of the seizure list. However, a total of 16 witnesses, including the investigating officer (IO) of the case, testified in court. After the allegation was made, testimony and hearing started from May 10, 2016.

A total of 16 witnesses, including the investigating officer (IO) of the case, submitted their statements and testimony, and after concluding the argument on September 15, 2019, the CAV awaited the verdict of the case on January 26, 2020. The verdict is being announced today.