SC cancels acquittal of ex-MP Hafiz, 3 others

The Supreme Court yesterday scrapped two High Court verdicts that acquitted former BNP lawmaker Hafiz Ibrahim and erstwhile top customs official Jahurul Haque and their wives in two corruption cases.

The apex court also asked the HC bench led by Justice Md Ruhul Quddus to rehear the appeals of the convicts within next three months. The four had filed the appeals with the High Court challenging their convictions by two lower courts in 2008.

The four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the orders after hearing two appeals filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2012 that challenged the HC verdicts.

The other members of the bench are Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Hasan Foez Siddique.

The SC has so far cancelled acquittals of 12 corruption suspects and sent their appeals to the HC for rehearings, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

The 12 include Relief and Disaster Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, former BNP state ministers Iqbal Hasan Mahmood Tuku and Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin and his son Mir Helal Uddin; independent lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim and BNP leader Amanullah Aman, he added.

The ACC counsel said the SC yesterday came up with the orders after accepting his arguments that the HC didn't properly consider the relevant evidence and the corruption allegations against the convicts.

Hafiz and his wife Mafruza Sultana, and Jahurul and his wife Afia Haque will be on bail until the HC disposes of their appeals, said Khurshid.

A special court on June 19, 2008 had sentenced Hafiz Ibrahim to 13 years' rigorous imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information about his assets in the wealth statement submitted to the ACC.

The court also sentenced his wife Mafruza to three years' RI for aiding and abetting her husband in accumulating the wealth.

Another special court on November 13, 2008 had sentenced former commissioner of customs Jahurul Haque to 13 years' and his wife to three years' rigorous imprisonment on similar charges.

The lower courts' verdicts came during the tenure of the then caretaker government, led by Fakhruddin Ahmed.

Following an appeal filed by Hafiz, the HC on October 17, 2011 acquitted him and his wife of the corruption charges.

Delivering the verdict on another appeal, the HC on July 26, 2011 scrapped the convictions of Jahurul and Afia.