The verdict in the illegal wealth case against expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papiya and her husband, Mofizur Rahman Sumon, will be delivered on Thursday by Dhaka’s Third Special Judge Court, presided over by Judge Abu Taher.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir confirmed that the verdict date has been set, expressing hope for the maximum possible sentence.
The date was fixed earlier on August 7, when the ACC concluded its arguments seeking the highest punishment.
The defense’s request for additional time to present arguments was rejected by the court, preventing further submissions on their behalf.
Papiya and her husband are currently out on bail. The case was filed on August 4, 2020, by ACC Deputy Director Shaheen Ara Momtaz, alleging that the couple illegally amassed assets worth over Tk 6.24 crore.
The charges accuse them of possessing undeclared wealth amounting to Tk 5.84 crore, including Tk 3.23 crore spent in cash on accommodation, food, alcohol, spa services, laundry, and bar expenses at Dhaka’s Westin Hotel between October 12, 2019, and February 22, 2020. Papiya allegedly made additional purchases worth Tk 40 lakh during this time, with no legitimate source of funds provided.
Other allegations include paying Tk 30 lakh in house rent between April 2015 and April 2020, investing Tk 1 crore in a car business, and depositing Tk 20 lakh in a car wash company in Narsingdi. Bank accounts under their names reportedly hold Tk 30.52 lakh, with no legal source identified.
On February 22, 2020, Papiya and her husband were arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Subsequent raids on properties in Dhaka and Narsingdi uncovered large amounts of cash, a Honda Civic car worth Tk 22 lakh, and other assets. According to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Papiya funded her lavish hotel expenses through illicit activities conducted at the Westin.
The ACC claims the couple’s total illegal wealth amounts to Tk 6.24 crore, allegedly earned through criminal means.
In addition to this case, the couple faced charges under the Arms Act, the Narcotics Control Act, the Special Powers Act, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act. In May this year, Papiya was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment in a money laundering case, while her husband and three others were acquitted.
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