The International Crimes Tribunal 2 yesterday allowed a defence petition to recall seven prosecution witnesses in the case against AKM Yusuf for cross-examination which were closed earlier.
The tribunal rejected another plea to withdraw the expulsion order on defence lawyer Syed Mizanur Rahman.
Saifur Rahman, defence counsel for the accused Jamaat-e-Islami leader, submitted that Yusuf had appointed Mizanul Islam as the new counsel to defend him. So, they prayed to cross examine the witnesses who had already testified at the tribunal.
Earlier, the tribunal closed cross-examination of seven prosecution witnesses as the conducting defence lawyers had skipped the proceedings during blockades. Senior prosecutor Syed Haider Ali said the witnesses could not be produced again under the current situation of the country.
The tribunal said they had accepted the petition for the sake of justice and to avoid any question over the trial. It also ordered the defence to provide the prosecution with Tk40,000 by today for transportation of the witness.
The tribunal ordered that the defence would have to complete questioning witnesses 12, 13, 14 and 15 between December 23 and 24, and witnesses 16, 17 and 18 on December 29 and 30.
