Prosecution witnesses gave hearsay statements

Two prosecution witnesses--Syed Abdul Kaium and Khondaker Abul Ahsan -- have given hearsay statements before the International Crimes Tribunal-2 regarding the involvement of Abdul Quader Mollah in killing Khondaker Abu Taleb in 1971, Abdur Razzaq, a lawyer for Mollah, told the Supreme Court yesterday.
Abu Taleb, journalist, litterateur and lawyer, was killed in Mirpur's Jalladkhana during the country's Liberation War.
Razzaq was placing arguments on the sixth day of the Appellate Division's hearing on convicted Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah's appeal seeking acquittal in the war crimes case.
Earlier, Syed Abdul Kaium, the 10th prosecution witness and former colleague of Taleb, told the ICT-2 that Quader Mollah and his accomplices killed Abu Taleb at Jalladkhana during the Liberation War.
The fifth prosecution witness, Khondaker Abul Ahsan, son of Taleb, told the tribunal that Quader accompanied by some non-Bangalees killed his father on March 29, 1971.
Abdur Razzaq yesterday told the apex court that the statement of Khondaker Abul Ahsan is contradictory as he had earlier made a statement at Jalladkhana, where he did not mention the name of Quader Mollah in his father's murder.
The ICT-2 on February 5 awarded life term imprisonment to Mollah. The apex court fixed today for further hearing on the case.
Abul Ahsan's statement is not corroborated by the investigation officer of the case, he argued and said Quader Mollah was not involved in the murder of Abu Taleb.