Prison authorities seek commutation of top terror Joseph's sentence
The government’s prisons department has appealed to the home ministry to commute the life sentence of criminal Tofail Ahmed Joseph.
One of the top terrors of the 1990s, Joseph was condemned in 11 cases including murder and arms cases and is now in Dhaka Central Jail.
Nearly a year ago on 9 June, the home ministry had sent another letter to the law ministry to commute Joseph's life sentence following a plea filed by Joseph’s mother Renuja Begum. Claiming her son's sentence 'unfair', Renuja filed the application with the home ministry in 2016.
The law ministry then granted the plea and recommended commutation of Joseph's sentence. Upon a positive response of the ministry, the letter was referred to the prime minister's office.
According to the home ministry sources, the prison department filed the application in accordance with prison article 569.
Chief of a committee relating to the commutation and the ministry's additional secretary (prison) Muhibul Haque, said the prison article is applicable for those who have already languished 20 years in jail and they are physically very weak, not capable to continue and old.
Or, anyone who behaves well in prison, can be given commutation according to the article, the additional secretary added.
The plea, signed by additional prison inspector general of the prison department Iqbal Hasan, reads," Joseph's jail term completes 20 years on 11 April 2015. All documents relating to this prisoner (Joseph) was sent to you earlier. Now necessary documents seeking permission for commutation of the convict has been sent, too."
Home ministry Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, "We have got a plea that seeks commutation of Joseph. If it is compliant with the law, we will accept it."
According to jail officials, the top terror is scheduled to languish over two more years in jail and another year in jail if declines to pay the fine.
The possible date of his release is on 24 January 2038 if he pays the fine otherwise it will be on 24 January 2039.
On 7 May 1996, Joseph shot dead businessman Mostafizur Rahman at Mohammadpur in the capital.
A Dhaka court on 25 April 2004 sentenced Joseph and another convict Masud Jamadar to death.
The other convicts, Kabil Sarkar, Haris Ahmed and Anis Ahmed were also sentenced to life term imprisonment for killing Mostafizur.
The High Court on 20 September 2007 upheld the death sentence of Joseph and life imprisonment of Kabil. The HC, however, acquitted Masud of the murder charge.