Avenfield reference: NAB allowed to record witness statements via video link
NAB, in supplementary reference, sought to record statements of two UK-based witnesses in corruption case against former PM Nawaz, family
February 02, 2018
ISLAMABAD: The accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family approved on Friday National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to record statements of two UK-based witnesses via video link.
The court, earlier in the day, had reserved its decision on the NAB request.
NAB filed three corruption references against the Sharif family in September last year in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. The references pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London.
In the Avenfield case, wherein Nawaz, daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar stand accused, NAB had submitted on January 22 a supplementary reference revealing new evidence and witnesses — including two UK-based individuals.
As today's hearing went underway, a request was submitted on behalf of Maryam and Nawaz to be exempted from the hearing today as the Pakistan Muslim League-N president Nawaz is in Karachi at present.
Meanwhile, Safdar is present in court and marked his attendance.
As the proceedings began, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi informed the court that the witnesses are unwilling to come to Pakistan on security concerns.
The NAB prosecutor argued that there is no legal provision to force the production of a foreign witness.
He also informed the court that the witnesses are willing to record their statements on Feb 6 and 7.
Later, Maryam and Safdar's counsel Amjad Pervez presented his arguments against the NAB plea stating that his clients should also then be allowed to record statements via video links.
The court then reserved its decision on the case. After the judge announced the decision accepting NAB's appeal, Nawaz's secondary counsel informed the court that his primary counsel, Khawaja Harris, will be unable to appear in court on February 6 and 7 owing to engagements in the Supreme Court.
The NAB prosecutor argued that Harris can appear in the accountability court at 2pm, when the statements will be recorded via video link, but the defence argued that the apex court conducts hearings until late these days.
The judge will decide on the date of the next hearing later.
At the last hearing of the corruption cases on Jan 30, Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Harris had objected to the NAB's supplementary reference in the Avenfield case, arguing that there is nothing new in it.
However, Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir turned down his request to dismiss the supplementary reference and approved it for hearing.
Supplementary Avenfield reference
On January 22, NAB filed in the accountability court a supplementary reference against Nawaz and four others in the Avenfield case.
NAB informed the judge that the new supplementary reference which has fresh pieces of evidence against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader includes seven new prosecution witnesses, including two from the United Kingdom.
Forensic expert Robert Radley and a close relative of Panama case Joint Investigative Team head, Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, will be the witnesses in the case, while two other witnesses are affiliated with the Ministry of Information.
NAB informed that it has taken the initial statement from the witnesses based in the UK.
The apex anti-corruption watchdog said that one of the witnesses belongs to a private media channel, while two others work under NAB.
Moreover, it also informed the court that excerpts of TV interviews of Nawaz, Maryam, Hasan and Hussain are part of the fresh evidence.
