The Tribunal heard matters pertaining to the following cases:
- Chief Prosecutor vs Golam Azam – Defens e Case-in-Chief
- Chief Prosecutor vs Delwar Hossain Sayedee – contempt proceedings brought by Defense
Summary
The Tribunal adjourned Golam Azam’s case for today on the grounds that the Defense will file a review application for the review off the Jan. 3rd order rejecting his request for retrial. They claimed that they did not receive a certified copy of the order and could not file the review application until they did. Mizanul Islam, senior Defence Counsel, assured the Tribunal that the Defense would produce its witness Abdullahil Aman Azmi, Defense Witness #1m on 8 January 2013.
The Defense Counsels of Sayedee informed the Tribunal that they had filed contempt petitions against Masudur Rahman of ATN News and against BTV. The Tribunal then fixed 9 January 2013 for the hearing of these applications.
Case: Chief Prosecutor vs Gulam Azam
Defence Witness #1, Abdullahil Aman Azmi, began providing testimony on November 13, 2012 and has not yet completed. The Defense failed to produce him on a couple of occasions and the Tribunal at one point barred the Defense from producing further Defense Witnesses unless the Defense provided a satisfactory explanation for their failure. Today was fixed for argument in the matter. Senior Defence Counse, Mizanul Islam, assured the Tribunal that the witness will be produced tomorrow and sought adjournment.
Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum raised an objection to the Defense’s request and said that the Defense had made similar excuses before and still failed to produce their witness. He asked the Tribunal to begin closing arguments or to impose a fine against the Defense.
The Tribunal then passed a written order stating that for the ends of justice the application filed by the Defence would be scheduled for hearing tomorrow on the ground that the Defense will file a review application of the order dated 03-01-2013. The order noted that Mizanul Islam had assured the Tribunal that the Defense would produce its witness on 8 January 2013.
Outside the Courtroom
Chairman A.T.M Fazle Kabir was absent from the Tribunal as he is on leave. Mizanul Islam informed the Tribunal that today Defense attorneys were not allowed to take their cars inside the Tribunal gate. Justice Jahangir Hossain told him to wait until Chairman A.T.M Fazle Kabir returned to present the matter. Mizanul Islam further stated that the Defense had been told that only two family members of the accused will be allowed to visit the Tribunal. Accused Golam Azam was brought to the Tribunal but did not appear in the courtroom, reportedly because he was feeling sick.
Tribunal adjourned at 11:45am