NAB filed Avenfield reference on basis of JIT report, IO informs court
May 04, 2018
ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) investigation officer in the Avenfield properties case against former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family informed the court today that the bureau filed the reference on the basis of material gathered by the Supreme Court-appointed Panama case Joint Investigation Team.
Dogar added that he did not request any further material from the Federal Investigation Agency or NAB to use in the reference.
Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir is hearing three corruption reference against Nawaz and his family.
As the hearing went under way, Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris resumed his cross-examination of NAB investigation officer (IO) Imran Dogar, the last prosecution witness, in the Avenfield properties reference.
Dogar also informed the court of NAB's procedure of lodging cases and holding inquiries.
He shared that at the time of filing of interim references against the Sharifs, the bureau had not received any response on its mutual legal assistance requests.
The hearing was later adjourned until May 7 after Haris completed the cross-examination.
At the next hearing, Maryam's counsel will begin his cross-examination of the investigation officer.
Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the NAB filed references against them in light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case.
Nawaz 'benami' owner of London flats: Dogar
During cross-examination on Thursday, Dogar shared details of the course of NAB's investigation and issuance of mutual legal assistance requests to the UK authorities regarding the ownership of the London flats and offshore companies.
Dogar informed the court that Nawaz is the benami [actual but not on paper] owner of the Nielsen and Nescoll offshore companies.
At one point, after the defence counsel's objection, the judge directed the prosecution to refrain from interacting with the witness.
Dogar had earlier recorded his statement in the court and stated that the NAB investigation proves Nawaz was the owner of the London flats while he was holding public office.
"The properties were purchased through offshore companies in someone else’s name [to hide ownership]," Dogar had informed the court.
The cases
The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017 with a six-month deadline.
The corruption references, filed against the Sharifs, pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and Avenfield properties of London.
Nawaz and sons Hussain and Hasan are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only.
The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.
The court originally had a deadline of six months which ended in mid-March but was extended for two months after the judge requested the apex court.
