War crimes ‘71: Rajshahi Jamaat man sentenced to death
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday sentenced a Jamaat-e-Islami man from Rajshahi to death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
Abdus Samad Musa alias Firoz Kha, 62, was “directly involved” in abduction, confinement, torture and murder of at least 15 people in the district’s Puthia upazila.
“He [Musa] got engaged in committing atrocious acts directing civilians as a notorious loyal activist of Pakistani occupation army and later on got enrolled in locally formed Razakar Bahini,” the tribunal said.
According to the investigators, Musa was involved with the Muslim League before the war but joined Jamaat and then Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of Pakistan army, as the war broke out.
He went into hiding after the war, most probably in India, but returned to Bangladesh after the political changeover in 1975, the investigators also said.
“Crimes against humanity are the offences which detriment not only the victims and their own communities, but all human beings. Such crimes indisputably cut deep, violating the core humanity.
“The offences committed by the accused therefore gravely aggrieved all human beings, we conclude,” it added.
Tribunal’s Chairman Justice Md Shahinur Islam and members Justice Amir Hossain and Justice Md Abu Ahmed Jamadar read out the summary of the 174-page verdict in presence of Musa, the prosecution team, investigators, defence and journalists.
Prosecutor Zahid Imam expressed satisfaction as they were able to prove all four charges.
Mofizul Khalifa, son of a victim, said “We have been waiting for this day. We are happy now.”
Defence counsel Abdus Sattar Palwan, however, said his client did not get justice and would file an appeal with the higher court.
According to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, a war crimes convict can file an appeal with the Supreme Court within 30 days from the date when the verdict is pronounced.
With the latest judgement, the war crimes tribunals have so far delivered 39 verdicts against 89 people. Of them, 63 have been sentenced to death.
CHARGES AND PUNISHMENT
The tribunal found him guilty in four charges and sentenced him to death for all the charges. However, death sentences would naturally be merged, the tribunal said.
According to the first charge, the convict was involved in looting, arson, abduction, confinement, torture and murder of four people of Damdoma, Shukdebpur, Bashbari and Gotia in Puthia.
Musa took part in the abduction, confinement, torture and murder of six civilians of Gondogohali, Chakpolashi, Bairagibazar and Bashbari in the same upazila, reads the second charge.
According to the third charge, Musa directly took part in the killing of four Santal men at Santal Para of Paschimbhag in the same upazila.
Musa was involved in the killing of one person in Dhokrakul village of the upazila, reads the last charge.