Quasem’s counsel ends arguments

Counsel for war criminal Mir Quasem Ali today concluded arguments on an appeal filed with the Supreme Court by Quasem challenging his death penalty for wartime offences.

During today’s hearing, SM Shahjahan, a lawyer for Mir Quasem, told the Appellate Division that statements of the prosecution witnesses are not credible as their statements do not corroborate each other.

When Quasem was on trial, the prosecution witnesses had given their statements to International Crimes Tribunal-2 on the charges brought against him. But most of them did not give the same statements to the investigation officer of the case, Shahjahan told the court.

He also prayed to the court to acquit his client.

After concluding today’s hearing, the five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed February 23 to hear legal aspects from the attorney general.

After attorney general’s argument conclusion, the defence counsel can give reply to the prosecution arguments, the court said.

The SC started hearing the appeal on February 9.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on November 2, 2014 sentenced Quasem to death after finding him guilty on 10 charges for abducting, confining and torturing people during the Liberation War.

Around four weeks later, he filed an appeal with the SC, challenging the tribunal's verdict.

Quasem, a member of Jamaat's central executive council, in his appeal cited 181 reasons for his acquittal on all the charges.