Judgment in a few hours

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 is set to deliver the verdict in the war crimes cases against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami on Wednesday, more than four months after the deferment of the judgment in June. Nizami, 71, is facing 16 charges, including killings, arson and loot committed during Bangladesh’s independence struggles in 1971. The judgment is going to be delivered within a few hours, nearly a year after the completion of the trial proceedings. The prosecution sought capital punishment for Nizami claiming that they had been able to prove 15 out of 16 charges. The defence, however, termed the case ‘politically motivated’ and appealed for Nizami’s acquittal, saying the prosecution couldn’t prove any charge. If convicted, the former industries minister during the 4-party alliance regime of 2001-2006, might have to walk the gallows. However, Nizami, Jamaat Ameer since November 2000, has already been given death penalty in the Chittagong 10-truck arms haul case in January this year, according to a news agency.