The prosecution, in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam yesterday, declared their seventh witness “hostile” and appealed to the tribunal to send him to safe custody.
The tribunal 1 disposed of the petition as the witness, Aminul Islam, 56, of Uttar Maksudpur under Badarganj upazila in Rangpur, said he needed no security.
Aminul was declared “hostile” as he said the Pakistani occupation army and their anonymous collaborators had killed Kaltimai during the 1971 Liberation War. He did not use the name of the accused during the proceedings.
Conducting prosecutor AKM Saiful Islam requested safe custody for the witness as he might influence other prosecution witnesses in the case. Following his request, the tribunal asked the witnesses whether he wanted to go into safe custody. Aminul replied in the negative.
The tribunal then directed the law enforcement agencies to keep him under observation so that he could not influence other prosecution witnesses. It also said if the witness was found doing so, the lawmen might take legal steps.
Tajul Islam, counsel for the accused, termed the prosecution’s stance “unjust” saying that a witness could not be forced to testify. The appeal for sending the witness to safe custody might frighten other witnesses, he said.
The same tribunal yesterday recorded the last part of the deposition by Investigation Officer Satya Ranjan Roy in the trial of Zahid Hossain Khokon, alias Khokon Razakar. He was the 24th and final prosecution witness in the case. Later state defence counsel Abdus Shukkur stared cross examining him.
Meanwhile, the tribunal 2 set Sunday for placing a new prosecution witness against Mir Kashem Ali, as the defence ended cross-examination of the 20th witness, Lutfar Rahman Faruk.
