The warrant issued for executing Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla’s death sentence is illegal, his lawyer has said. Molla’s lawyer Khandker Mahbub Hossain, who is also Vice Chairman of the Bar Council BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Adviser, said this at a press conference on Monday.The International Crimes Tribunal had on Sunday issued the warrant hours after receiving a copy of the full version of the Supreme Court verdict sentencing Molla to death.
The International Crimes Tribunal had on Feb 5 sentenced Molla to life for killings, rapes and looting.
Perceived to be too lenient a penalty, the prosecution moved the Supreme Court against the verdict. The highest court on Oct 17 revised the life term to death sentence.
Hossain said the tribunal lacked the authority to issue the death warrant since it had not passed Molla’s death sentence.
He argued that only the Supreme Court, which pronounced the verdict, could send the warrant to the jail authorities.
“The prison authorities cannot execute the death sentence on the basis of this warrant. If they do, they will have to take full responsibility for this,” he said.
He hoped the government would protect the dignity of the rule of law.
“The Appellate Division has sentenced him to death despite the lower court jailing him for life. I do not know if there is any such instance in the sub-continent,” Hossain observed.
The government was in a hurry, he alleged. “Let him have his verdict reviewed. Let the countrymen see that his death penalty has been executed by giving him all facilities.”
He said it would not be ‘right’ to execute the sentence in a hurry simply because someone’s or the government’s tenure is running out.
“It is rare to sentence someone on the basis of a witness. The witness must be like an angel if that has to be done,” said Hossain.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had, however, stated that Molla had not been sentenced to death on the basis of one witness’ statement. Other witnesses had testified to the authenticity of her version. – bdnews24.com
