Money Laundering
Koko's lawyers for withdrawal of case
Lawyers of Arafat Rahman Koko, the youngest son of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, submitted an application to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for withdrawing or discontinuing the money laundering case filed by it against Koko.
The lawyers Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Bodruddoza Badal and Rajib Rouf Chowdhury placed the application to ACC Chairman Ghulam Rahman yesterday.
According to the application, the case against Koko can not be run as per the February 9 Supreme Court ruling over proceeding with the case under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2009.
The SC ruled that an offence committed before the promulgation of the 2009 act, cannot be tried under it, the application said. The alleged time of occurrence in the case against Koko has been shown between 2004 and 2007, which is much before the 2009 act's promulgation, the application added.
The ACC filed the case against Koko, now in Bangkok for treatment, on March 17, 2009 under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2009 on charge of siphoning off Tk 19.7 crore to Singapore.
According to ACC's deposition, a portion of the money deposited to Koko's bank account was from an account of China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd in the USA.
At the time during the money transfer, the company was working in Bangladesh on the construction of New Mooring Container Terminal.
The trial court has earlier recorded statements of 10 prosecution witnesses in this case.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon said the ACC chairman informed them that his office will take decision on the application scrutinizing the SC ruling and the relevant laws.
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