Judge threatens to quit as defence lawyer goes wild
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
The judge of a special court trying detained former premier Sheikh Hasina in the barge-mounted power plant graft case Tuesday left a latent threat to quit halfway through the proceedings as a defence lawyer went on showing misdemeanours, reports UNB.
The defence lawyer's 'contemptuous' conduct was unleashed during the cross-examination of a prosecution witness (PW).
Despite repeated reminders to the defence counsel not to ask irrelevant questions to the PW, the lawyer maintained his mood that the court took as indecorous. As the court took note of it, the defence counsel turned arrogant. Later, he picked an altercation with the court that virtually disrupted the court proceedings for 20 minutes.
At one stage, principal accused Awami League president Sheikh Hasina asked the defence lawyer to say sorry to the court. But the defence lawyer wouldn't pay heed.
Visibly annoyed, Judge M Firoz Alam said, "I may quit being embarrassed. I have the right to do that... but I cannot destroy the image and dignity of the court."
Pointing finger at Kazi Sajwar Hossain, the counsel for co-accused former energy and power secretary Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the judge said, "If you are aggrieved, you have also the right to bring a no confidence motion against me at the High Court."
He went on, "You must keep it in mind that I may not be here, but the institution must stay
The defence lawyer's 'contemptuous' conduct was unleashed during the cross-examination of a prosecution witness (PW).
Despite repeated reminders to the defence counsel not to ask irrelevant questions to the PW, the lawyer maintained his mood that the court took as indecorous. As the court took note of it, the defence counsel turned arrogant. Later, he picked an altercation with the court that virtually disrupted the court proceedings for 20 minutes.
At one stage, principal accused Awami League president Sheikh Hasina asked the defence lawyer to say sorry to the court. But the defence lawyer wouldn't pay heed.
Visibly annoyed, Judge M Firoz Alam said, "I may quit being embarrassed. I have the right to do that... but I cannot destroy the image and dignity of the court."
Pointing finger at Kazi Sajwar Hossain, the counsel for co-accused former energy and power secretary Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the judge said, "If you are aggrieved, you have also the right to bring a no confidence motion against me at the High Court."
He went on, "You must keep it in mind that I may not be here, but the institution must stay