The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has deferred its verdict on Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami due to his illness, report agencies
ICT-1 Chairman Justice M Enayetur Rahim said they received a letter from the prison authorities about Nizami's illness, in view of which they were not willing to announce their verdict on him.
He said that they have sought a report on Nizami's health condition.
"We have heard statements from the prosecution and the defence. We also saw the jail authorities' letter. We don't find it logical to give the verdict in this situation," the judge told the court.
He said the verdict would be kept pending.
M Forman Ali, senior jail super of Dhaka central jail, said that Nizami suddenly became sick on Monday night as his blood pressure was high. Later, doctors gave him medicine.
Doctors again checked Nizami on Tuesday morning and advised the jail authorities to keep Nizami on complete bed rest, not to move him until further advice.
Nizami is now in the Dhaka central jail hospital, said the senior jail super.
Mohammad Ali represented the prosecution at the hearing while Mizanul Islam stood for the defence.
"The issue is under the tribunal's jurisdiction. The tribunal can take any decision," Ali told reporters.
The defence counsel said that they don't think the verdict can be pronounced if Nizami is not able to attend the court.
"Because, he was present in the hearings and now is in court custody, it would be unfair to pronounce the verdict in his absence" defence counsel Islam told reporters after the hearing.The next steps in connection with sending Nizami to tribunal will be taken after getting the doctor's report.
''We have already informed the authorities of the international crimes tribunal that Nizami is sick,'' Forman Ali said.
