Kibria murder case

Hearing deferred again

Hearing in the 10-year-old murder case of former finance minister SAMS Kibria was deferred for the fifth time since September 21 on Thursday. It has taken nine deferments just to frame charges. The prosecution blamed the repeated delays on witnesses and the fact of the accused not appearing in court because of illness and other reasons. Only six out of 171 witnesses have so far deposed in court. On Thursday, speedy trial court judge Makbul Ahsan deferred the hearing to November 18 and 19 because two witnesses were not present. Just a day back, on Wednesday, the trail had been deferred because only five of the 14 accused had appeared in court. The trial had then been deferred from October 28 and 29.
On September 30, the court started recording the testimony of former Hobiganj-2 MP and plaintiff in the case, Abdul Mozid Khan. The court recorded the testimony of three persons on October 21 and two others on November 5.
On September 13, the court indicted 32 people, including former home minister Lutfozzaman Babar, suspended Sylhet mayor Ariful Haque and Harris Chowdury, in the case. All the accused, including Babar, militant group leader Mufti Hannan and Habiganj mayor GK Gayus, were produced in court during the final charge-framing hearing. Judge Ahsan passed the order and fixed September 21 for starting the trial.
On September 6, the charge-framing hearing was deferred for the ninth time since Ariful could not be in court, apparently due to illness. The court fixed September 13 for the hearing and asked for Ariful’s complete medical report.
The case was transferred to the speedy trial court from the Habiganj chief judicial magistrate court on June 11 for its quick disposal, following a (no-confidence) petition filed by the plaintiff. On May 5, 2006, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the case.
On January 27, 2005, Kibria and four others were killed and 70 injured in a grenade attack at a public rally of the Awami League at Baidder Bazar in Sadar upazila of Habiganj district.
The next day, Abdul Mozid Khan filed two cases—one for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Act—at Hobiganj police station.
On March 19, 2005, assistant superintendent of CID, Munshi Atique, submitted a charge-sheet naming 10 BNP leaders and activists.
On May 5, 2006, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the case after the plaintiff filed a petition. Following another appeal by the complainant, the court ordered further investigation into the case on May 14, 2006.
On 20 June 2011, CID senior assistant superintendent Rafiqul Islam submitted a supplementary charge-sheet incorporating the names of another 14 people, including Babar and Hannan.
 After this, Kibria’s widow Asma filed a no-confidence petition in a local court. The court then forwarded the case documents along with the petition to the court concerned. On January 5, 2012, the court ordered the CID to continue the probe.

 

Kibria murder case

Hearing deferred again

Hearing in the 10-year-old murder case of former finance minister SAMS Kibria was deferred for the fifth time since September 21 on Thursday. It has taken nine deferments just to frame charges. The prosecution blamed the repeated delays on witnesses and the fact of the accused not appearing in court because of illness and other reasons. Only six out of 171 witnesses have so far deposed in court. On Thursday, speedy trial court judge Makbul Ahsan deferred the hearing to November 18 and 19 because two witnesses were not present. Just a day back, on Wednesday, the trail had been deferred because only five of the 14 accused had appeared in court. The trial had then been deferred from October 28 and 29. On September 30, the court started recording the testimony of former Hobiganj-2 MP and plaintiff in the case, Abdul Mozid Khan. The court recorded the testimony of three persons on October 21 and two others on November 5. On September 13, the court indicted 32 people, including former home minister Lutfozzaman Babar, suspended Sylhet mayor Ariful Haque and Harris Chowdury, in the case. All the accused, including Babar, militant group leader Mufti Hannan and Habiganj mayor GK Gayus, were produced in court during the final charge-framing hearing. Judge Ahsan passed the order and fixed September 21 for starting the trial. On September 6, the charge-framing hearing was deferred for the ninth time since Ariful could not be in court, apparently due to illness. The court fixed September 13 for the hearing and asked for Arifuls complete medical report. The case was transferred to the speedy trial court from the Habiganj chief judicial magistrate court on June 11 for its quick disposal, following a (no-confidence) petition filed by the plaintiff. On May 5, 2006, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the case. On January 27, 2005, Kibria and four others were killed and 70 injured in a grenade attack at a public rally of the Awami League at Baidder Bazar in Sadar upazila of Habiganj district. The next day, Abdul Mozid Khan filed two casesone for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Actat Hobiganj police station. On March 19, 2005, assistant superintendent of CID, Munshi Atique, submitted a charge-sheet naming 10 BNP leaders and activists. On May 5, 2006, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the case after the plaintiff filed a petition. Following another appeal by the complainant, the court ordered further investigation into the case on May 14, 2006. On 20 June 2011, CID senior assistant superintendent Rafiqul Islam submitted a supplementary charge-sheet incorporating the names of another 14 people, including Babar and Hannan. After this, Kibrias widow Asma filed a no-confidence petition in a local court. The court then forwarded the case documents along with the petition to the court concerned. On January 5, 2012, the court ordered the CID to continue the probe.