Avenfield case: NAB deputy prosecutor leaves for London

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau’s Deputy Prosecutor General Muzaffar Abbasi has left for London on an official visit, the anti-graft body’s officials said on Monday.

According to NAB officials, the prosecution team’s head in the references against Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield case, will go to London High Commission on February 22.

In the presence of Sardar Muzaffar, the statements of two prosecution witnesses will be recorded through video link.

The accountability court will set up two screens in order to record statements of Robert Radley and Raja Akhtar, said sources.

In the hearing today, the accountability court hearing corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family has summoned the former head of the Panama case joint investigation team (JIT), Wajid Zia, on February 22.

At the next hearing, two UK-based witnesses will record their statements via video-link from the Pakistan High Commission in London in the supplementary Avenfield reference filed last month. The Islamabad High Court ruled recently that the suspects' counsels should also be present at the Pakistani embassy when the statements are recorded. 

Avenfield case: Wajid Zia summoned with original JIT report on Feb 22

NAB had requested accountability court to summon Zia, record when UK-based witnesses will record statements against Nawaz, family

NAB, which had filed three corruption references against the Sharifs in September last year, had pleaded the court to summon Zia, an additional director in the Federal Investigation Agency.  

The references pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Flagship Investment Ltd and Avenfield properties in London. Nawaz is accused in all three cases whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only.