The High Court has acquitted former Jubo League leader and controversial contractor SM Golam Kibria Shamim, also known as GK Shamim, in a money laundering case in which he had previously been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by a lower court.
The verdict came on Thursday, following a hearing of Shamim’s appeal, delivered by a High Court bench led by Justice ASM Abdul Mobin.
Earlier, on September 21, 2019, Naib Subedar Mizanur Rahman of RAB-1 filed the case under the Money Laundering Prevention Act with Gulshan police station.
On August 4, 2020, Abu Sayed, additional superintendent of police of the CID’s Financial Crime Unit, submitted a charge sheet against eight individuals. The trial commenced on November 10 that year.
On September 20, 2019, RAB raided Shamim’s residence and office in the capital’s Niketan area, seizing eight firearms, a large amount of ammunition, fixed deposit receipts worth Tk165 crore, Tk1.81 crore in cash, a significant amount of foreign currency, and liquor.
Subsequently, on July 17, 2023, a lower court sentenced GK Shamim to 10 years in prison under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. His seven bodyguards were each sentenced to four years in prison.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-10. In addition, fines amounting to more than Tk3.83 crore were imposed on them. The court stated in its verdict that failure to pay the fine within 60 days would result in an additional one-year imprisonment. Immediately after the judgment, the convicts were sent to prison with warrants issued for their sentences.
The court stated that those involved in arms trading, tender manipulation, and money laundering hold no ideals. They exploit ideology to amass illegal wealth overnight, obstructing the country’s development and destroying its economy. The court described them as enemies of the nation and stated that such individuals must be collectively resisted for the sake of national progress and interest.
Following this verdict, GK Shamim filed an appeal with the High Court. The acquittal was granted after the hearings in this appeal were completed.