Corruption case filed against former Bangladesh PM’s son
March 18th, 2009 - 11:26 am ICT by IANSDhaka, March 18 (IANS) Bangladesh’s anti-graft body has pressed charges against Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger businessman son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, for money laundering.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Tuesday said Koko, now convalescing in a Singapore hospital after months of imprisonment, had laundered money he had illegally taken from China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd and German telecom firm Siemens “in exchange for helping them get government contracts”, The Daily Star said.
The Chinese firm had helped set up the New Mooring Container Terminal and Siemens was engaged in supplying and setting up equipments for Teletalk mobile phone company.
Koko had laundered money he received from these firms and it was deposited in two of the five accounts in Singapore banks, four with the United Overseas Bank and one with the CIC Bank.
Koko has been charged with using his influence as the son of then prime minister Zia. He illegally earned the money between 2001 and 2006.
“The allegation that Arafat Rahman…has illegally sent abroad 28,84,603.15 Singaporean dollars and 9,32,672.81 US dollars to hide his illegally earned money and his illegal source of income has been primarily proven. This is a punishable offence under section 4(2) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2009,” an ACC official said in the concluding paragraph of the five-page first information report (FIR).
The FIR also states that Koko did not mention the transactions of his accounts with the Singaporean banks in his income tax return and his wealth statement submitted to the commission.
It says Koko did not have any business relationship with the sources of this illegal money.
The ACC presumes that “these sources-business organisations and persons gave or were forced to give Koko financial benefit to secure their legal or illegal business interests because he was the son of the then prime minister,” the ACC said.
Besides Koko, Zia and her elder son Tarique Rahman, a politician, were jailed on graft charges by the military-backed caretaker government that ruled in Bangladesh during 2007-08.
Zia is now the leader of the opposition, while Tarique is convalescing in a London hospital.
- Khaleda Zia's son challenges trial in corruption case - Aug 04, 2009
- Trial of Khaleda Zia's younger son begins in absentia - Jan 05, 2011
- Dhaka presses graft charges against Khaleda Zia's son - Jul 07, 2010
- Zia's son figures in Siemens bribery scandal - Dec 23, 2008
- 'Zia's son deposited funds illegally in Singapore bank' - Dec 19, 2008
- Court extends former Bangladesh PM son's parole - Aug 27, 2010
- Khaleda Zia's son, 29 others indicted in 2004 bombing - Mar 18, 2012
- Corruption evidence against Zia, says anti-graft body - Nov 23, 2010
- Bangladesh asks Zia's son to surrender - Aug 20, 2010
- US begins probe into scam involving Zia's sons - Jan 14, 2009
- Hasina wants white paper on corruption during Zia's term - Feb 12, 2009
- Bangladesh cracks down on rampant corporate corruption - Apr 02, 2009
- Bangladesh opposition protests move to bring back Zia's son - Aug 22, 2010
- US may return bribe money involving Zia's son to Dhaka - Jan 15, 2009
- Dhaka asks US for money siphoned off by Zia's son - Feb 03, 2009
Tags: business organisations, cic bank, concluding paragraph, corruption case, financial benefit, former prime minister, german telecom, government contracts, harbour engineering, illegal money, illegal source, income tax return, khaleda zia, mobile phone company, money laundering prevention, prevention act, punishable offence, singapore banks, singapore hospital, telecom firm