The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Wednesday sentenced Razakar Md Abdus Sattar alias Tipu Sultan from Boalia, Rajshahi, to death for his crimes against humanity in 1971, reports BSS.
Justice Md Shahinur Islam, chairman of the three-judge panel of the tribunal, sentenced Tipu to death as both the charges framed against him, were proved beyond any reasonable doubt.
The three judges read out the summary of the 177-page judgement one by one, with the chairman reading out the sentencing portion at the end.
“…he be hanged by the neck till he is dead, under section 20 (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973… the ‘sentences of death’ as awarded above, in respect of charge no 01 and 02 will get merged,” the order said.
The tribunal on October 17 kept the date of the judgement on CAV, curia advisari vult (a Latin legal term meaning the court awaits judgement), as the prosecution and defence concluded their arguments in the case on that day.
Prosecutors Mokhlesur Rahman Badal and Sabina Yesmin Khan moved the case against Tipu, while Advocate Gazi MH Tamim stood for the accused.
“The tribunal has awarded him death sentence considering the gravity of his crimes and we are happy over the judgement,” prosecutor Badal said.
Tipu was an active follower of Islamic Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, and joined Razakar Bahini in his locality as the war begin. He was also arrested under the collaborators act in 1972.
The tribunal on May 14, 2017, issued production warrant against the accused as he was behind bars already in connection with another case filed with Motihar Police station of Rajshahi. Tipu was produced before the tribunal on July 10, 2017, and he was sent to prison as he was shown arrested in connection with this case.
The prosecution on May 29, 2018, submitted formal charge against the accused and the tribunal on the same day took into cognizance the charges pressed against him.
The tribunal on August 8, 2018, framed two charges of crimes against humanity including abduction, confinement, torture, plunder and murder against Tipu. A total of 14 witnesses including investigation officer (IO) testified in the case.
