Dhaka, June 30 (IANS) The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) of Bangladesh on Thursday sentenced Pakistan-backed fugitive war criminal Md Shafi Uddin Moulana, a Razakar Bahini leader, to death for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971 at Lakhai upazila in Habiganj.

Shafi, who is absconding since the beginning of the case, was the central committee secretary of East Pakistan Nezam-e-Islam, a wing of Jamaat-e-Islami. He participated in the provincial assembly elections as its candidate, according to the case records.

The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, found the other accused guilty of the charges brought against them for committing genocide, murders, rapes, abductions and tortures during the 1971 Liberation War in Lakhai.

The three other accused in the case, Tajul Islam alias Forkan, Md Jahed Miah alias Jahid Miah, and Saleque Miah alias Sayek Miah, were sentenced imprisonment until death on the same charges.

The special court, however, acquitted another accused, Sabbir Ahmed, of war crime charges.

According to the verdict, Sabbir, who is also on the run, got acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove the charges brought against him. The tribunal withdrew an arrest warrant it had earlier issued against Sabbir.

In 1971, Shafi took the stance against the Independence of Bangladesh and worked as a close associate and collaborator for the Pakistani Occupation Army.

He was also known as a leader of the �peace committee and Razakar Bahini of Lakhai’ and worked as the auxiliary force of Pakistan Army, who committed genocide, rapes and killings.

Tajul, Jahed and Saleque were members of the Razakar Bahini.

The tribunal’s investigating agency released the final report on March 21, 2016 against the five accused per sons.

The trial in the case began on February 8, 2019 with the framing of charges against the accused.