Nizami verdict at any time

International Crimes Tribunal-1 at any time will announce its verdict in a case filed against Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami accusing him of war crimes charges as hearing of the case was ended in the court on Monday. 

The ICT-1 put the verdict on CAV (curia advisary vult, a Latin legal term meaning court awaits verdict), drawing an end to an about 22 month-long hearing of the case. 

“Thank you all for your cooperation. We are keeping the date for pronouncing verdict on CAV as we need some time to prepare judgement,” said Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the two-member panel of ICT-1 at 4:00pm. 

Earlier from 2:35pm, prosecutor Mohammad Ali started giving reply on legal points that the defence has raised and concluded his part at 3:10pm, followed by his senior colleague Advocate Syed Haider Ali. 

Referring to the verdict of Ghulam Azam’s trial, Haider Ali pleaded for convicting the Jamaat chief for his superior command responsibility over the crimes that were committed by Al-Badr cadres. 

Haider Ali concluded his part of reply at 3:35pm, giving the floor to his colleague from opposite side Advocate Mizanul Islam. The conducting defence counsel criticized the legal arguments placed by Mohammad Ali, saying, the prosecutor’s arguments do not seem to be related with the actual law in anyway.

At 4:00pm sharp, the tribunal passed the CAV order.

It is however the third time the tribunal put the date of the verdict on CAV. On 13 November  2013, the first tribunal passed the same order as the defence was found absent before the tribunal for the fourth consecutive day. But the ICT-1 later again gave a chance to the defence to place arguments.

On 20 November, the tribunal again kept the verdict on CAV as the defence at last concluded their part of arguments and the prosecution gave their reply. But after the retirement of Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, former chairman of ICT-1, the tribunal was reconstituted on 23 February 2014, and Justice M Enayetur Rahim was appointed as its new chairman.

The ICT-1 on 26 February through an order decided to rehear the summing up arguments in this trial and set 10 March for the start of the prosecution arguments.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief was indicted on 28 May 2012, on 16 counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, arson and inciting violence.