The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has set May 22 for the hearing of an appeal against the war crimes tribunal’s verdict that sentenced Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee to death.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice M Mozammel Hossain fixed the date Monday morning.
The International Crimes Tribunal 1 on February 28 handed Sayedee capital punishment for his involvement in crimes against humanity during 1971 Liberation War.
The 73-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer was found guilty of murder, abduction, confinement, torture, rape, persecution, and abetment of torture, looting, forceful religious conversions and setting homes ablaze in rural areas of southern district Pirojpur during the period.
Sayedee was sentenced to death in two of the charges even though found “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” in eight. He was sentenced to death for the abduction, torture and murder of Ibrahim Kutti and the killing of Bisabali in Pirojpur.
Both prosecution and defence filed appeal with the Appellate Division against the verdict on March 28, 29 days after the verdict has been delivered.
The prosecution sought for giving Sayedee death sentence in the other six charges he was found guilty while the defence has sought for acquittal of charges.
The Appellate Division on April 28 asked both sides to submit summaries of appeal petitions by May 2 and later extended to May 16 upon an extension prayer.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state while Barrister Abdur Razzaq stood for the defence.
