Court records NAB witnesses' statements in graft references

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Friday recorded statements of three prosecution witnesses in two supplementary corruption references filed against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The former premier along with his sons, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar have been accused in three graft references filed in compliance with Supreme Court’s landmark July 28 verdict.

Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted trial in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments supplementary references in the first half, whereas Avenfield properties reference will be heard later today.

The court summoned four prosecution witnesses today to document their statements.

Three witnesses including Abdul Hanan, Rizwan Khan and Sunil Ijaz appeared and recorded their statements before the court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments references, while Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director Wajid Zia, who was also the head of Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT), will appear before the court to record his statement in the Avenfield property reference at 2:00 pm today.

Foreign remittance from Sharif’s offshore company

At the outset of court proceedings today, NAB prosecution witness Sunil Ijaz, who is banker by profession, recorded his statement.

The witness said he had previously appeared before an investigation officer (IO) of the anti-graft body, namely Abdul Rehman, on January 23, 2018 and provided him with the details of the bank account.

He said the “system-generated” details were about inward foreign remittances from the accounts of Hill Metal Establishment, an offshore company.

The prosecution witness said the documents, which he provided, had remittance details from January, 2013 till January 23, 2018.

Sharif’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris cross-examined him once he recorded his statement.

“Do the details include the purpose of remittances,” Haris asked the witness.

Ijaz responded positively. “All remittances bear the purpose,” he said.

The defence lawyer then asked the witness whether he was inquired about the purpose of remittances.

To which, he responded negatively. “Nobody inquired me about these details,” he added.

At which, the defence counsel asked whether he made a complaint for not being interrogated about the purpose of remittance.

The prosecution witness said it is not done at “branch level”.

Last hearing 

In the previous hearing on Thursday, five witnesses appeared before the court in the first two references and testified against Sharifs.

The defence lawyers cross-examined the witnesses.

The court had earlier wrapped up recording the statement of forensic expert Robert Radley in Avenfield reference, who admitted that Calibri font was available in 2005 but to limited users.

At the outset of last hearing on Thursday, Sharif along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar appeared before the court. The judge was asked for a recess until Sharif’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris could ensure his arrival at court around 11:30 am.

Ayesha Hamid, Sharif’s secondary lawyer, said the lead counsel didn’t arrive owing to personal engagements.

She then pleaded with the court to exempt Sharif from personal appearance in the second half.

The NAB prosecutor opposed the plea and contended that the presence of accused is mandatory as per law at the time of prosecution witnesses testifying against him.

However, the accountability judge granted Sharif an exemption from personal appearance and adjourned the hearing till 11:30 am.

References

Sharif along with his sons-Hussain and Hassan – has been named in three NAB references, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt. Safdar have been nominated in a reference with regard to the Sharif family’s London-based Avenfield properties.

The references were filed in compliance with the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict last year.