Surrendered army officers innocent, real culprits fled to India: Defence lawyer

The Fifteen army officers who surrendered before the International Crimes Tribunal in three cases of crimes against humanity are innocent, their counsel Advocate M. Sarwar Hossain has claimed. He alleged that the real perpetrators fled to India.

Speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s hearing, Sarwar Hossain said former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, an approver in the case, testified that the incidents took place under directives from Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and that the accused officers had no control over the situation.

Following the tribunal’s order, the officers were taken to Dhaka Cantonment’s sub-jail. The three-member Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder and comprising Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired District Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, ordered their confinement.

Addressing confusion over their detention, the defence lawyer said the officers had surrendered through the police, but prosecutors termed it an arrest. “They were never detained before.

The army headquarters had already briefed that they were in military custody,” he added.

Earlier in the morning, the officers were brought to the tribunal premises and later transported in a green prison van after the court issued its custody order.