Cross-examination of Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, ninth prosecution witness in the Shazneen rape case and a friend of the victim's father, by lawyers of five of the six accused ended yesterday.

The cross-examination took place at the Second Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression, Dhaka.

Judge Kazi Rahamat Ullah then adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

Mahbubur Rahman was earlier cross-examined by lawyers of principal accused Shahidul Islam alias Shahid .

Lawyers of the five other accused -Hasan, Badal, Shaniram, Minu and Parvin -- cross-examined the ninth witness for about two hours yesterday.

Mahbubur Rahman recalled what he had told the Investigation officer (IO) of the case. He said Humayun had told them that he had hit Shazneen with a chisel and Shahid stabbed her with a kitchen knife. Parvin grabbed Shazneen by the hair and pressed her hands against the bed. Then the three pulled her down from the bed in an almost unconscious state. Shahid raped her in this condition.

The witness also identified the chisel, brought before the court as alamat (evidence). It was recovered from the roof of servants' bathroom at the Gulshan residence of Shazneen's father Latifur Rahman on May 27, 1998.

Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, 15, the youngest daughter of Latifur Rahman, Chairman of Transcom, was raped and murdered at their residence on April 23, 1998.