Money Laundering Case
Verdict on Tarique, Mamun Sunday
A court in Dhaka on Thursday set Sunday for its verdict in a case filed against BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, now living in London, and business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun, on the charges of laundering money to Singapore. Dhaka Special Court-3 judge Md Motahar Hossain set the schedule after hearing both the sides. This will be the first verdict in any case against Tarique Rahman, the elder son of the opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
In June 2011, the same court sentenced Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of Khaleda Zia, to six years jail and a fine of Tk 38.83 crore in a money laundering case.
Arafat was arrested on September 2, 2007 and released on parole for treatment in Bangkok on July 17, 2008.
His parole was cancelled on August 19, 2010 for violating its terms and he was asked to return home.
The court also asked the authorities concerned to take measures to bring back Tk 20 crore which was siphoned off by Arafat and Ismail Hossain Simon, son of former shipping minister
late Akbar Hossain, to Singapore.
Simon also received the same sentence.
On September 11, 2008 Tarique left for London for ‘medical treatment’ after he was granted bail following his arrest during the two-year military-backed interim regime.
Tarique has been implicated in at least 16 cases, including the August 21 grenade attack case.
His trial took place in absentia in three cases – the money laundering case and two cases relating to the August 21, 2004 grenade attacks on an Awami League rally.
Treated as a fugitive, Tarique was not allowed to appoint lawyers to defend himself in the cases.
Mamun’s chief counsel Khondker Mahbub Hossain submitted that the prosecution could not prove the charges against Tarique and Mamun and they should be released.
Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal submitted that the two deserved seven years jail for laundering money to Singapore.
The court examined 13 prosecution witnesses, including FBI official Debra Laprovoti.
The court also examined some witnesses who defended Mamun.
On May 26, the court issued a fresh warrant for arrest of Tarique in connection with the case.
The court asked the authorities concerned to send the warrant to Tarique’s address in London.
On November 6, home minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir told reporters that the government requested the UK to extradite Tarique, following the issuance of a warrant for his arrest in a money laundering case.
The court issued the warrant after hearing a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission that Tarique should be brought back to Bangladesh by sending an English version of the arrest warrant to Interpol.
On August 8, 2011, the court issued a warrant before his trial began in the money laundering case.
ACC filed the case with Cantonment police station on October 26, 2009.
The charge was framed against Tarique and his friend Mamun in the case on August 8, 2011.
The case details said Tarique and Mamun had been charged for siphoning off Tk 20.41 crore to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.
The money was allegedly taken by Mamun as bribes from Khadiza Islam, director of Nirman Construction Ltd, for helping her win the contract for setting up an 80MW power plant at Tongi.
On August 8, 2011, the court indicted Tarique and Mamun on money laundering charges and issued the first arrest warrant against Tarique.
-With New Age input
