Hejaaz Hizbullah case: CID misled public and Cardinal, says Counsel

Thursday, 8 October 2020 01:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

When the case of the arrest of Hejaaz Hizbullah was taken up yesterday, the Counsel alleged that the Criminal Investigations Department had misled the Cardinal and the public with regard to Hizbullah.

“They lied to His Eminence the Cardinal and the public. The real culprits were never caught and they have instead found a scapegoat in Hejaaz,” the Counsel said.

The CID submitting a report said that they were awaiting a Government Analyst report on three phones used by Hizbullah.

“This is how they lied throughout. They said the investigations were to be completed and a Deputy Solicitor General of the Attorney General’s Department said it would be by 16 September. The CID lied to the Attorney General’s Department as well and is now seeking further time.”

The CID said that transactions of Qatar Charity were being investigated by the TID, to which the Counsel submitted a brief containing records of Qatar Charity. “There is not a word in the reports that Mr. Hizbullah received funds. Instead what it says is an organisation called Islamic Relief Fund received this money. Who fed this story that Hejaaz received money? It was the CID, like they fed the forced confessions story. In any event Qatar Charity is a world-renowned charity and this is all trumped up to keep an innocent man and protect the real wrongdoers,” the Counsel said.

The Magistrate questioned the CID regarding the progress on the investigations into how statements made confidentially by the children were leaked to the media.

“It was the CID who prepared the statements and then leaked them,” the Court was told, after it being pointed out that no investigation thus far had been carried out despite Court orders.

The Magistrate ordered the CID to submit a progress report of the TID and on the investigation into the media leaks on 28 October.