Zia Charitable case verdict today

Staff Correspondent: A Dhaka court is scheduled to deliver its verdict today (Monday) against four accused including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

On October 16, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 in Dhaka fixed October 29 for pronouncing the verdict after completing the trial proceedings.

Meanwhile, the defence filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging an order of the High Court that cleared way for her trial in absentia.

On October 24, a division bench of the apex court cleared the way for Khaleda’s trial, rejecting her petition challenging legality of a decision of the lower court to continue the trial in her absentia.

Khaleda, who has already been imprisoned in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, refused to appear before the court during the trial of the Zia Charitable Trust case on ‘safety grounds’.

Later, the government shifted the court to the jail premises to ensure her safety. Yet, she did not appear before the court.

Defence counsel asked the court to stop the trial in her absence, but the prosecution prayed for the continuation of the trial.

Against this backdrop, on September 20, a special court in Dhaka decided to continue the trial of the case in absence of Khaleda Zia.

On September 27, Khaleda Zia filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging legality of the lower court’s decision to continue trial in her absence.

In 2011, the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) filed the Zia Charitable Trust case with Tejgaon police station against four persons, including Khaleda Zia, on charges of raising and embezzling fund in the name of the trust.

Three other accused in the case are Khaleda Zia’s political secretary Harris Chowdhury, Harris’ APS Ziaul Islam Munna, and ex-mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s APS Monirul Islam Khan.

risingbd/Dhaka/Oct 29, 2018/Mamun Khan/Mukul