A Dhaka court yesterday recorded the cross-examination of a prosecution witness in the money laundering cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s eldest son Tarique Rahman and his friend Giasuddin-Al-Mamun, rejecting the defence’s plea for time due to a senior lawyer’s absence.
Mohammad Motahar Hossain, the judge of the Special Judge’s Court 3, rejected the time petitions moved by defence counsel Zahidul Islam as their senior lawyer barrister Fakhrul Islam could not appear before the court, being busy with BNP’s anniversary programme.
The court rejected the time prayer and fixed the time for cross examination at 2pm.
The defence counsel sought time in the case against Tarique and Mamun saying they had filed a writ petition before the High Court challenging a law, which had been heard partially by Justice Mirja Hossain Haider and Khurshed Alam Sarker on July 29 and the next hearing is on September 16.
ACC chief prosecutor Anisul Haque was present and opposed the time plea.
Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Director Mohammad Ibrahim was also present for cross examination. After recording the deposition and cross examination court set the next date on September 8 for another prosecution witness.
During the proceedings, Mamun was produced before the court.
According to the case details, ACC filed the case against Tarique and Mamun with Dhaka Cantonment police station on October 26, 2009, accusing them of siphoning off Tk204.1m to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.
The fund was allegedly taken by Mamun as bribe from Khadiza Islam, director of Nirman Construction Ltd, for helping it bag the contract for installing an 80MW power plant at Tongi.
The ACC on July 6, 2010 submitted the charge sheet in the case to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka after investigation.
On August 8 last year, the court indicted Tarique and Mamun under the Money Laundering Act 2002 and issued an arrest warrant against Tarique.
Mamun later allegedly deposited the money at the Singapore City Bank’s Capital Street branch.
