Arms case against Papia: Recording of witness statements ends

A tribunal in Dhaka today concluded recording the statements of witnesses in an arms case against expelled leader of Jubo Mohila League Shamima Nur Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman.

On completion of cross-examination of Md Arifuzzaman, the current investigation officer of the case, Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of the Special Tribunal-1 of Dhaka, set tomorrow for recording self-defence statements of the accused.

The tribunal then will fix the date for arguments from the prosecution and the defence. After completion of arguments, the tribunal will fix a date for judgement of the case.

With the IO, the tribunal recorded statements of a total of 10 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.

During today's hearing, the couple was produced before the tribunal.

A team of Rab arrested Papia and her husband -- a former Chhatra League leader -- and their two accomplices from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on February 22 when they were trying to leave the country.

During their arrest, Rab members recovered seven passports, Tk 2,12,270, fake notes worth Tk 25,600, $11,481, 420 Sri Lankan rupees, 301 Indian rupees, and two debit cards from their possession.

The following morning, Rab raided the house of Papia at Indira Road in Farmgate and recovered a foreign pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor, Tk 58,41,000 cash, credit and debit cards of different banks.

On February 24, he filed the arms case against the couple with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

On August 23, the same tribunal framed charges against the couple in the case.

Three cases were filed against the couple with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station under the Arms and the Special Powers Acts, while another case was lodged with Biman Bandar Police Station under the Special Powers Act.

Another case was filed against the four -- the couple and their two accomplices -- with Gulshan Police Station under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.

On August 4, the Anti-Corruption Commission lodged a case against Papia and her husband for amassing about Tk 6.24 crore illegally.