Law adviser Asif Nazrul on Tuesday said that verdicts in three or four cases currently under trial with the International Crimes Tribunal regarding the killings during the July-August uprising were expected to be handed down by October.
鈥業 hope that verdicts in three or four cases currently under trial with the International Crimes Tribunal regarding the killings during the July uprising will be delivered by October,鈥� he said at a press conference held聽 at his ministry鈥檚 conference room in Dhaka.
The ousted prime minister, top leaders of the Awami League and police personnel are among the accused who are facing the charges of crimes against humanity and genocide at the ICT for the July killings.
The adviser said that he was expressing such hope after through consultation with the prosecution team.
He said that much progress had been made in the trial process after bringing amendment to the ICT act and formation of the ICT. The court has been functioning with full capacity for the past four months.
鈥極ver 300 allegations have so far been registered with the court. Of those, our prosecution has formally submitted 16 cases after thorough scrutiny. The investigation in four cases, out of the 16, is expected to conclude by this month,鈥� he said, adding that the formal trial proceedings would be started after forming the charges.
鈥楢ccording to the law, the defence will get three month time after the trial starts,鈥� he mentioned, adding that they hoped that the testimony would start from April.
鈥楢s this court continuously holds hearings on the cases, the verdicts in the three to four cases are expected to be delivered finally in the four to six months,鈥� he mentioned.