Bangladesh
Niko Corruption Case Khaleda Zia's lawyer challenges the validity of permission to bring foreign witnesses against her
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 11 October 2023: An application has been filed in the High Court challenging the validity of permission granted to three foreign witnesses to come to the country to testify against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the Niko corruption case. On Wednesday, Khaleda Zia's lawyer, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, applied to the relevant branch of the High Court.
Kaiser Kamal said, "Permitting foreign witnesses to come to the country is extrajudicial. We have appealed to the High Court challenging this permission order."
Earlier, on September 17, the court allowed three foreign witnesses to come to the country to testify against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the NAICO corruption case.
The three witnesses include one from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and two from Canada's Royal Mounted Police. Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka Special Judge Court 9 allowed this.
Before that ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan submitted their full address to the court. However, Khaleda Zia's lawyers objected to bring foreign witnesses. On September 12, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin applied for permission to present foreign witnesses in court. On that day, Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman recorded the statement of ACC Deputy Director Muhammad Mahbubul Alam. Earlier, the court recorded a part of his speech on May 23.
In addition, the two defendants in the case - Ghiyasuddin Al Mamun, a close friend of BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman, and Salim Bhuiyan, the former president of the Dhaka Club, completed several rounds of witness examination. On December 9, 2007, the then Assistant Director of ACC Muhammad Mahbubul Alam filed a case against Khaleda Zia and five people at Tejgaon Police Station. The case was filed on charges of corruption and financial damage to the state through an opaque contract with the Canadian company Niko.
On May 5, 2008, the ACC filed a charge sheet against 11 people, including Khaleda Zia. They were accused of causing financial loss of about 13 thousand 777 crores taka to the state.
