‘Fine for corruption is payable posthumously’

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa on Monday while hearing a case pertaining to corruption and illegal use of power remarked that wealth generated through corruption should be recovered even after death of the accused.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Yahya Afridi heard a case filed by wife of late DSP Akhtar Kiyani against the high court verdict.

During the course of proceedings, the court ordered Mrs Riaz Bibi, wife of late DSP Akhtar Kiana to pay a sum of Rs30 million on her appeal against the high court verdict. It is pertinent to mention here that the Accountability Court awarded late DSP and his wife 10 years and five years sentence respectively and imposed Rs30 million fine in the case of corruption and illegal use of power.

The high court also maintained the Accountability Court verdict. The chief justice remarked that one must have to pay amount earned through corruption even after death. He observed that the plot was purchased on a price of Rs20.5 million 25 years ago which will be of worth Rs2.5 billion now.

He remarked that fine of Rs30 million imposed in 2003 is much less as per today adding that the fined amount can be raised but it cannot be slashed. The NAB Prosecutor said the Jamil Akhtar appointed in 1959 and retired in 1995 as Deputy Superintendent Police.

The counsel for Mrs Riaz Bibi said that his client could not pay fine amount. The NAB also froze bank accounts of his client opened after 1995. The chief justice remarked that the fine amount could not be reduced rather it could be enhanced.