IO’s Deposition: Sayedee pleads adjournment in absence of his counsel
Dhaka, Apr 23 (UNB) - The International Crimes Tribunal on Monday adjourned for Tuesday the judicial proceedings as the principal defence lawyer for war crimes accused Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee did not turn up.
The trial session could not take place in time due to the hartal enforced by opposition BNP.
The trial needs the presence of four components -- the tribunal, the defence lawyer, the prosecution lawyer and the accused.
Usually, the tribunal sits at 10-30 am. But on Monday it sat at 11:15 am as one of the members of the three-member tribunal, the designated prosecutor and the defence lawyer and the accused were seen absent.
As the two- member tribunal with Justice M Nizamul Huq in the chair resumed, a junior defence lawyer prayed for a brief adjournment to make available principal defence counsel Mizanul Islam. The prosecutor did not raise any objection to that plea.
Turning a blind eye, Justice Huq told the junior defence counsel and accused Sayedee, who was in the dock, that due to the absence of the assigned defence counsel the tribunal will act in favour of the accused while recording the testimony of the investigation officer.
As the junior defence counsel pressed for a short break time and again, the tribunal allowed a break for 2.15 hours.
After the break, accused Sayedee praying for adjournment told the tribunal that he wanted his principal counsel to be present during the deposition of the IO in the case. “Who will defend me if any question of law arises,” he questioned.
Reiterating, the tribunal said, “We shall act as the defence lawyer in absence of your counsel and if any question of law arises we shall keep it for tomorrow (Tuesday). Let’s the trial proceedings go on.”
Joining the second half, the assigned prosecutor, Syed Haider Ali, backed Sayedee’s plea on the ground of showing ‘fair justice’.
Allowing Sayedee’s plea, the tribunal in its order said, “We reluctantly adjourned the proceedings for Tuesday.”
The trial session could not take place in time due to the hartal enforced by opposition BNP.
The trial needs the presence of four components -- the tribunal, the defence lawyer, the prosecution lawyer and the accused.
Usually, the tribunal sits at 10-30 am. But on Monday it sat at 11:15 am as one of the members of the three-member tribunal, the designated prosecutor and the defence lawyer and the accused were seen absent.
As the two- member tribunal with Justice M Nizamul Huq in the chair resumed, a junior defence lawyer prayed for a brief adjournment to make available principal defence counsel Mizanul Islam. The prosecutor did not raise any objection to that plea.
Turning a blind eye, Justice Huq told the junior defence counsel and accused Sayedee, who was in the dock, that due to the absence of the assigned defence counsel the tribunal will act in favour of the accused while recording the testimony of the investigation officer.
As the junior defence counsel pressed for a short break time and again, the tribunal allowed a break for 2.15 hours.
After the break, accused Sayedee praying for adjournment told the tribunal that he wanted his principal counsel to be present during the deposition of the IO in the case. “Who will defend me if any question of law arises,” he questioned.
Reiterating, the tribunal said, “We shall act as the defence lawyer in absence of your counsel and if any question of law arises we shall keep it for tomorrow (Tuesday). Let’s the trial proceedings go on.”
Joining the second half, the assigned prosecutor, Syed Haider Ali, backed Sayedee’s plea on the ground of showing ‘fair justice’.
Allowing Sayedee’s plea, the tribunal in its order said, “We reluctantly adjourned the proceedings for Tuesday.”
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