The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday acquitted Khan Akram Hossain, who had earlier been sentenced to life imprisonment in a case over crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

The order was passed by a bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury. Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam represented the state during the proceedings.

Earlier, the court had fixed Thursday for delivering the verdict on Akram’s appeal against the life sentence.

On August 11, 2015, International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Sirajul Haque, also known as Siraj Master, to death in the same case. Another accused from Bagerhat, Khan Md Akram Hossain, was given life imprisonment for crimes against humanity.

According to the tribunal’s verdict, five out of six charges brought against Sirajul Haque were proven, while one of the three charges against Akram was proven. Siraj was awarded the death penalty on the five proven charges, to be executed either by firing squad or hanging.

Akram was sentenced to life imprisonment on the single proven charge. He later filed an appeal challenging the verdict, which has now resulted in his acquittal by the Appellate Division.