'Tell the IG Prisons not to carry out death sentence before receiving the full verdict'
The Appellate Division has asked the attorney general to speak to the IG Prisons to ensure that no death sentence is carried out before the full verdict is received. The five-member Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain made this statement today, Sunday.
The lawyer of the accused, brought to the attention of the Appellate Division that the process of carrying out the death sentence had begun after the verdict of the Appellate Division, though the full sentence of the Appellate Division had not been published as yet. The court then made this observation.
After the court proceedings, senior attorney Yusuf Hossain Humayun mentioned a case. The chief justice then said, "There has been a lot of criticism about hanging cases. I brought the 2006 cases to the list for hearing. After the cases of 2006, 2007 and 2008, I had almost completed the ones of 2015. Now I see there are a few of 2013 pending."
Lawyer Helal Uddin Molla said, "They are taking the convict to be hanged. They are taking him to be hanged because of an advance order, yet the full verdict of the Appellate Division hasn't been published as yet. There will be a review petition. The hanging should not take place before that. I seek the court's intervention."
Helal Uddin Molla said that three accused had been given life sentences and one was sentenced to death. He said that verdict had been passed on 18 August.
The court asked if he had appealed. He replied, "I did not receive the power of attorney. It now takes 10 days to get the power of attorney from the DC. The advance order was given, the plea for the convict's life was dismissed. The verdict hasn't been signed as yet."
A judge of the bench said advance order was given from those whose death sentence had been commuted to life sentence, so they would be placed in normal cells. That verdict (of the Appellate Division) hasn't been signed yet."
Deputy attorney general Biswajit Debnath said, the court did not send any advance order for hanging.
Helal Uddin Molla said that even so, the order had been sent. It had reached the magistrate court of Kushtia. From there it had been sent to the Kashimpur jail for the sentenced to be carried out.
Chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain said, until the full verdict is received, the sentence will not be carried out.
Later the chief justice, addressing the attorney general AM Amin Uddin said, "Tell the IG Prisons that the sentence will not be carried out until the full verdict is received."
The chief justice told the defence lawyer to submit the appeal to the chamber judge.
Senior judge of the bench Mohammad Iman Ali said, you can tell the IG Prisons that the verdict is not final until everyone signs it.
The chief justice said, IG Prisons is the focal point.
Attorney general AM Amin Uddin said, "I told the secretary and I will tell him too."