Such corruption from country’s top-post holder unexpected: court observes

867

DHAKA, Oct 29, 2018 (BSS) – While sentencing BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and three others in Zia Charitable Trust graft case a Dhaka court today observed that such type of corruption from country’s top-post holder was not expected.

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 made the observation while delivering the verdict this afternoon.

The court sentenced Khaleda Zia and three others seven years imprisonment and fined them Taka 10 lakh each, in default, to suffer six months more in jail.

“The court also gave 15 findings, saying, this verdict is a message for the people so that none could commit such crimes being in the post of prime minister and misuse the state power,” Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) counsel Mosharraf Hossain Kazal said.

The ACC counsel expressed his satisfaction over the verdict, saying, “Khaleda Zia embezzled money after collecting it in the name of Zia Charitable Trust by misusing state power.

The advocate said the verdict reflected the rule of law and the counsels of the BNP chief have committed contempt of court by refusing to appear before the court.

The three other convicts are Khaleda’s former political secretary Haris Chowdhury, the then BIWTA director Ziaul Islam Munna and Monirul Islam Khan, former personal secretary of former Dhaka city mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka.

The BNP chairperson is now serving a five-year jail term in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.