The High Court has accepted appeals of the four death row convicts of 10 truck arms case, including Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, against the verdict of arms haul case of Chittagong.
An HC bench of Justice Mohammad Rezaul Haque and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore accepted the appeals on Wednesday afternoon; months after it received the documents of the case from a Chittagong court.
The three other death row convicts, who filed appeals, are former director general (DG) of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, ex-NSI DG Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim and former NSI deputy director Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain.
Earlier on January 30, the special tribunal gave death penalty to 14 convicts under the Special Powers Act 1974 in a smuggling case. It also handed down life imprisonment to them under the Arms Act 1878 for the 10-truck arms haul.
According to the Special Powers Act, 1974, if a special tribunal passes death sentence, the proceedings shall be submitted immediately to the High Court division and the sentence shall not be executed unless it is confirmed by the HC.
The law also stipulates that appeal may be filed with the HC against the tribunal verdict by 30 days from the date of delivery or passing of the judgment.
On April 2, 2004, 10 trucks of weapons and ammunition were seized from the state-owned Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) jetty while the consignment was being offloaded from two fishing trawlers.
Around 1,500 boxes containing submachine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets were recovered.
The then officer-in-charge of Karnafuli police station Ahadur Rahman filed the two separate cases in this regard the next day.
