AC can summon foreign origin accused: NAB prosecutor
September 21, 2010
Rawalpindi
NAB prosecutor Arif Ali Chohan here on Monday told the Accountability Court-III of Najmul Hassan Najam that the court could summon the accused of foreign origin involved in corruption references in Pakistan under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and NAB Ordinance.
The court adjourned hearing in this matter till September 27.
The NAB prosecutor also told the court that the previous accountability bench had also summoned foreigners in this case. The AC till this time has summoned these foreign officials more than thrice asking them to appear before the court.
The court was hearing a corruption reference with regard to awarding pre-shipment contracts to a Swiss company — ‘Cotenca’.
As per allegations, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband President Asif Ali Zardari were accused of taking six per cent of the total revenue of pre-shipment for awarding the contract worth $131 million.
The company was to supervise Pakistan’s customs services. Begum Nusrat Bhutto, A R Siddiqui and six Swiss directors of the Cotecna company were co-accused in the case.
NAB prosecutor Arif Ali Chohan here on Monday told the Accountability Court-III of Najmul Hassan Najam that the court could summon the accused of foreign origin involved in corruption references in Pakistan under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and NAB Ordinance.
The court adjourned hearing in this matter till September 27.
The NAB prosecutor also told the court that the previous accountability bench had also summoned foreigners in this case. The AC till this time has summoned these foreign officials more than thrice asking them to appear before the court.
The court was hearing a corruption reference with regard to awarding pre-shipment contracts to a Swiss company — ‘Cotenca’.
As per allegations, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband President Asif Ali Zardari were accused of taking six per cent of the total revenue of pre-shipment for awarding the contract worth $131 million.
The company was to supervise Pakistan’s customs services. Begum Nusrat Bhutto, A R Siddiqui and six Swiss directors of the Cotecna company were co-accused in the case.
