BNP Chief Khaleda Zia has been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
Judge Dr Akhtaruzzaman of the special court -5, established within the administrative building of the old central jail announced the verdict on Monday (Oct 29).
Three others accused in the case— Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to the then PM Khaleda, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) to Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka were also sentenced to seven years for their involvement in the Charitable Trust graft.
The court also slapped a fine of Tk 1 million to all four of the accused.
Anti Corruption Commission lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajol has expressed his satisfaction that justice has been delivered and culprits are brought to justice.
The judge in his verdict said the example, Khaleda Zia has set being at the highest position of power, is in no way acceptable, Kajol told journalists after the verdict was pronounced Monday.
Kajol said Khaldea Zia abused power as prime minister and he collected fund for the trust in illegal manner and Harris Chowdhury, Ziaul Islam Munna and Monirul Islam Khan helped her.
Evidence has been found that Khaleda lied about getting fund from an organization Metro Maker, he said.
In the documents it had been showed that Metro Makers donated Tk 1.35 crore to the trust, but the company in its deposition said they did not donate any money.
The court gave 15 observations and in the verdict it sent a message that law is equally applicable to whoever is and was in power.
The court also confiscated 42 katha of land in kakrail owned by the trust, he added.
About the observations, he said the court looked at whether Khaleda abused her power or not, whether the money donated to the Zia Charitable account or not, whether the money collected in illegal manner or not, whether Khaleda used her residence address at Mainul Hossain Road when forming the trust, when she opened the trust bank account, whether she hid her identity as prime minister or not and other issues.
Earlier on Monday, the Apex Court dismissed BNP chief Khaleda’s plea which sought to freeze the trial proceeding in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case making way for the trial court to announce its verdict in her absence.
The Appeal Bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order on Monday (Oct 29).
AJ Mohammad Ali and Zainul Abedin moved for Khaleda while the State was represented by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.
On Sept 20, Special Judge-5 Akhtaruzzaman ordered that there’s no barrier to proceed with trial in the Charitable Trust graft case in absence of Khaleda Zia.
The BNP chief’s counsels challenged this decision and moved the High Court seeking reversal of the lower court’s order. The High Court on Oct 14 dismissed the plea and Khaleda’s lawyers took their plea to the top court.
The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station in Aug, 2011.
According to the case dossiers, the former prime minister and three others abused their power and raised funds from unknown sources for the trust.
Earlier this year, on February 8, Dr Akhtaruzzaman gave five years imprisonment to Khaleda Zia on the Zia Orphanage Graft case. In the same case, his son, and acting chairman of BNP, Tarique Rahman was handed ten years imprisonment.
A three-time premier Khaleda has been serving a five-year sentence since Feb 8 when she was convicted of embezzling foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust.