Five witnesses testified Wednesday in three separate corruption cases against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and others over alleged Rajuk plot allocation irregularities, officials said.
The next date for witness hearings has been set for September 30 by Dhaka’s 5th Special Judge Court, presided over by Judge Md Abdullah Al Mamun. As the accused remain absconding, the witnesses could not be cross-examined.
Wednesday’s witnesses were: Riad Mahmud, senior officer of Sonali Bank; Mohammad Osman Gani, personal officer at the Chief Adviser’s Office; Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zakir Hossain; and Dhaka South City Corporation registrars Mithun Chandra Bala and Nahid Hossain.
ACC prosecutor Khan Md Moinul Hasan said: “The court had summoned five witnesses, who appeared today and gave their testimony.”
On July 31, the same court formally framed charges and ordered the trial to begin, issuing arrest warrants against the absconding accused.
In the three cases, 12 people were accused along with Sheikh Hasina, 17 with Joy, and 18 with Putul. Witness hearings began on August 11.
Other accused across the six ACC cases include Sheikh Rehana and her daughter Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Rupanti, Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, top officials of the Housing and Public Works Ministry, and several former Rajuk officials.
ACC filed the six cases in January over alleged corruption in Rajuk plot allocations. Wednesday marked the fourth day of witness testimony in three cases, while hearings in the other three cases will continue on September 21
