A Dhaka court yesterday set May 15 for examination of the five accused – former military dictator HM Ershad and four others – in connection with the radar purchase corruption case filed in 1992.
On that day, the court will examine the accused whether they are guilty or not, after taking different points from the statements of 12 prosecution witnesses.
Divisional Special Court Judge Md Abdur Rashid set the date after recording cross-examination of the last prosecution witness in the case, Abdus Sattar Sarker. Ershad’s counsel Sheikh Sirajul Islam questioned him.
An Anti-Corruption Commission deputy director, Sattar is the investigation officer of the case.
A special envoy to the prime minister and Jatiya Party chief Ershad was not present during the proceedings. His lawyer represented him at the court. Two other accused – former Air Force chiefs Air Vice-Marshal (retd) Sultan Ahmed and Air Vice-Marshal (retd) Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed were in the dock.
Deposition of prosecution witnesses began on August 19, 2010 with plaintiff Md Ali Haider, assistant superintendent of now-defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau. His testimony ended on March 1, 2012.
Haider filed the case with Cantonment police station of the capital on April 4, 1992. Investigation Officer Manzur Ahmed, an official of the Bureau, pressed the charges against the five on October 27, 1994, and named 38 people as prosecution witnesses.
On August 12, 1995, the charges were framed against the accused. But, the trial proceedings at the lower court had been stalled for a long time upon an order of the High Court.
The case details say Ershad while serving as president had purchased radar for the Air Force by abusing power and in collusion with the four others causing the state a loss of around Tk64.04 crore.
Another accused – Director of United Traders AKM Musa – has been absconding since the beginning of the trial. The name of Shazed Ali, proprietor of the firm, was dropped from the charge sheet.
