Trial of graft case against Papia, husband begins

Trial of the graft case against Jubo Mohila League's expelled leader Shamima Nur Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman Sumon began at a Dhaka court today with deposition of the complainant.

Judge Muhammad Ali Hussain of the Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka recorded statement of Anti-Corruption Commission's Deputy Director Shahin Ara Momtaz, also the complainant of the case.

After the deposition, defence lawyers for the couple submitted a petition seeking time for cross-examining the complainant.

The judge then fixed January 16 for next hearing of the case.

The witness of the case, in her statement said that from October 12, 2019, to February 22, 2020, the couple rented a total of 25 rooms of a five-star hotel in Dhaka and paid over TK 3.23 crore in cash as room rent, bills for bars, spa, laundry and food service.

Papia spent around TK 40 lakh for shopping during this time but couldn't show any valid source of income against this sum.

Besides, the ACC also did not find any valid source of TK 30 lakh which Papia paid as rent of her flat from April 2015 to April 2020, TK one crore invested in vehicle trade, TK 20 lakh invested in car wash solution business in Narsingdi and over TK 30.52 lakh deposited in different bank accounts in her and her husband's name, the complainant added.

On March 30, the ACC submitted the charge sheet to the Senior Special Judge's Court against the couple. The court framed charges against them on November 30.

The ACC filed the case against the couple with its Integrated District Office-1 of Dhaka on August 4 last year.

On October 12 last year, the couple was jailed for 20 years in another case filed for possessing illegal firearms.