Khaleda's Conviction: Prayer for bail tomorrow if copy of verdict available
Convicted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would seek bail from the High Court tomorrow if she received the certified copy of the judgement in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case in time.
“We will file an appeal with the High Court on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday if we get the certified copy of the trial court verdict [that has sentenced her to five years' jail] on that day.
“In the appeal, we will seek bail for her,” Advocate Zainul Abedin, a lawyer for Khaleda and a vice-chairman of BNP, told The Daily Star yesterday.
He added, “We have already prayed to the authorities concerned for the certified copy of the verdict on behalf of the BNP chairperson for filing the appeal.
“If it is not possible for moving the appeal on Sunday, we will move the appeal on Monday,” he said, adding that they would move the appeal only for the BNP chief for her release.
Citing the possible grounds for the appeal, Zainul Abedin, also the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said the judge of the lower court “has not applied his judicial mind” in delivering the verdict that convicted and sentenced Khaleda.
The Anti-Corruption Commission had “defective” charges in the case against the accused, he said, adding that the commission has not produced original documents before the trial court.
Khaleda landed in jail on Thursday afternoon after a special court had sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the case.
“As the prosecution has been able to prove the charges against Khaleda Zia, she has been awarded five years' rigorous imprisonment, considering her social status and physical condition,” said Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 in Dhaka, delivering the much-talked-about verdict in a packed courtroom on Thursday.
The court cancelled Khaleda's bail and sent her to prison at the old Central Jail on Nazimuddin Road in the capital.
The special court also sentenced Khaleda's eldest son and BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and four others to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Tk 2.1 crore on each.
Tarique, who resides in the UK, was tried in absentia. Earlier in July 2016, he was awarded seven years' imprisonment in a money laundering case.
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