The International Crimes Tribunal-2 today termed "Incompetent" the investigation officer of the case filed against war criminals Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain.

"This is the absolute failure of the investigation officer," said Justice Obaidul Hassan, Chairman of the ICT-2, while delivering the verdict in the war crimes cases after dropping the third charge against the duo by two-third majority votes.

The tribunal chief said IO Altafur Rahman did not carry out the investigation sincerely as he has brought a charge against them for which the convicts have already served life term imprisonment under the collaboration act after the Liberation War.  

In his part of judgment, Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah, one of the three judges of the tribunal, said for the sake of conclusive and unquestionable investigation, such a investigation officer should be relieved from assigning with any further investigation of any case which is to be tried by the international crimes tribunal.

"The authority concerned will take appropriate steps in that regard," he added.

Talking to The Daily Star, Abdul Hannan Khan, coordinator of the investigation agency dealing with the war crimes probe, said, "There were definitely mistakes in the investigation. The investigation officer should have paid more attention to the fact that both convicts were sentenced in the Collaborators Act previously".

He also said, "After we receive a copy of the verdict, a thorough internal inquiry will be launched on the IO and further steps will be taken".

According to the charge brought by the prosecution, the duo along with 30-35 Razakars on November 2, 1971 picked up Kalumuddin Mondol, Abdur Rashid, Gajal and Ilias Mondol from their houses of Sherpur Vandar in Shibganj and tortured them.

The attackers looted and burnt their houses before taking the detainees to a Razakar camp set up at Adina Fazlul Haque College.

Later, they were taken to the army camp at Shibganj office, reads the charge.

The detainees were subjected to barbaric torture for the whole day and were shot dead at night near a mango orchard of Jagirkot Para the next day.

According to the defence, submission and judgement of the High Court, one Laijuddin had filed a case in connection with the killing of father and three other family members in 1971.

The Special Tribunal-11 in Rajshahi formed under Collaborator Act-1972 handed down life term imprisonment to Mahidur and Afsar in 1973.

The High Court upheld their sentence and they served the lifetime. 

The killings, for which Mahidur and Afsar served life time, were mentioned in the third charge.