Tribunal rebukes defence lawyer for prompting colleague

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday rebuked a defence counsel for war crimes accused Syed Mohammad Qaisar, as he was prompting his colleague repeatedly from behind during placing of arguments.
Terming the action of Abdus Sobhan Tarafder “highly contemptuous”, the three-member tribunal, led by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam, said he would be driven away from the courtroom, if he did it again.   
SM Shahjahan, a defence counsel of former state minister Qaisar, yesterday placed closing arguments for the third day. During his submission, his colleague Sobhan was seen prompting Shahjahan several times sitting on a first row bench.
A counsel can assist colleagues with the court's permission. Lawyers sometime assist their colleagues by going to the podium.
But, at one stage of arguments, the defence counsel's action drew the tribunal's attention and Justice Mozibur Rahman said, “Why, are you prompting him after every word?”
 “Don't do it again; otherwise, we will send you outside,” said Justice Hassan. “If you have anything to say, come before [the podium].”
When Sobhan stood up to tell something, Justice Hassan stopped him, and Shahjahan was seen standing before the court with hands folded.
Meanwhile, Shahjahan yesterday placed arguments on third, fourth, fifth and sixth charges and tried to discredit the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses showing “contradictions and discrepancies” and prove the innocence of Qaisar.
The tribunal adjourned the proceeding until today, and asked the defence to complete their arguments within today.
Qaisar, the alleged founder of anti-liberation Qaisar Bahini, faces 16 charges of crimes, including genocide, in Habiganj and Brahmanbaria in 1971. He, however, pleaded not guilty.