Verdict in gold smuggling case against Ershad today

A Dhaka court will pass its judgment today in a gold smuggling case against former president and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, which was earlier adjourned six times on different grounds.
Judge Mohammad Abul Bashar at the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court will return the verdict at 11:30am, court sources said.
Both the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments. The court recorded statements of eight prosecution witnesses, including the complainant and investigation officer (IO) of the case.
Describing the background of the case, the prosecution said a team of customs officials held four people, two of them foreign nationals, at Zia International Airport on July 17, 1990 as they were attempting to smuggle in around 3.6 kgs of gold worth about Tk 2.5 crore.
A case was filed against the four -- Bernhard Rudiger of Germany, Englishman David Anthony Chalmar Chaker, the airport's then manager Major (retd) Ashraf Uddin Sekender and Abu Taher, an airport security guard -- with Cantonment Police Station the same day.
Ershad's name was included in the charge sheet on August 31, 1991 after the IO found evidence of his involvement in the smuggling bid.
The trial against Ershad, however, was shelved for several years following a High Court (HC) stay order.