DHAKA: Barrister Moudud Ahmed, BNP’s senior leader and a senior lawyer for the party’s Chairperson Khaleda Zia, placed the closing argument in favor of the BNP chief before the special court on Tuesday (January 16).

Barrister Moudud sought acquittal of the BNP chief from the charges in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. “The case could be rejected in the first day. There is no merit of the case. But it is still going on,” said Moudud Ahmed.

He presented the arguments in the 10th day of closing arguments before the Special Judges Court-5, the makeshift court set up on the premises of Madrasa-e-Alia Dhaka in city’s Bakshibazar area.  

The senior lawyer claimed the Khaleda Zia’s involvement was not proved. He told the court that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) did not prove the allegations with the evidences they presented at the court. So the BNP chief should be acquitted, he said.

Terming the case as politically motivated, Barrister Moudud told the court, “We hope you (the court) will consider everything and will show respect and honour to Khaleda Zia as she was prime minister of the country and will become prime minister again.”

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the special court recorded the defense closing arguments.

Advocate Mosharraf Hossain Kajol moved for the ACC in the court. Earlier few days ago, the ACC lawyer concluded his arguments for seeking life imprisonment for Khaleda Zia and five other accused in the case.

The defense lawyers of the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on December 27 also sought acquittal of the BNP chief from the charges.

On July 3 in 2008, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with Ramna Police Station in the city accusing Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Rahman and four others of misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that had come as grants for orphans from a foreign bank.

BDST: 1655 HRS, JAN 16, 2018
EHJ