The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from 10 years' imprisonment given by the High Court in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.
A five-member Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, pronounced the judgement today.
The court also scrapped the earlier verdict of the HC and the trial court and acquitted other accused from the case charge.
According to the judgement, there is now no legal bar for Khaleda Zia to contest the next general election, said the party lawyers.
The apex court on November 11, 2024, allowed two leave to appeal petitions filed by the BNP Chairperson.
Then Khaleda Zia filed the appeals praying to the apex court to scrap the HC judgment and to acquit her from the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
This case, filed in 2008 under a military-backed caretaker government, accused Khaleda of misusing her power as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 to divert Tk 2.10 crore of the Tk 4.44 crore donated by the Saudi king, allegedly transferring the funds to a private account instead of using them for the orphanage trust.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on February 8, 2018, convicted former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
In March 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the then Awami League regime, under an executive order, granted Khaleda's conditional and temporary release due to her poor health condition.
The time of her release was extended several times until her sentences were remitted by the President.
The High Court after that enhanced Khaleda Zia's five-year jail term to 10 years after holding a one-sided hearing.
TF
