Money laundering case: Ayyan’s indictment deferred yet again

Customs court adjourns hearing till October 8

ISLAMABAD: The indictment of model Ayyan Ali in the money laundering case was deferred again due to the absence of the Customs court judge on Monday.

The model was produced before Banking Court Judge Sabir Sultan, as Customs Court Judge Rana Aftab Ahmed is on leave. The court deferred her indictment till October 8. Ayyan appeared before the court for the fourth time since she was granted bail in the case.

During the course of hearing, the prosecutor pleaded to adjourn the hearing till October 5, while, defence lawyer Latif Khosa requested the court to defer the case till October 8.

The customs officials had already prepared a charge-sheet against alleged money launderer in the case.

The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench recently termed the arrest warrants against Muhammad Owais and Mumtaz Hussain, property purchaser and dealer respectively involved in the case, as void. Justice Muhammad Amir Bhatti and Justice Mehmood Ahmed Bhatti cleared both the suspects.

In his written statement to Customs officials, Owais said he bought Ayyan’s property for $56,800, which he paid to the model. Hussain, in his statement, claimed to be the intermediary of the transaction between the model and the property purchaser. The two formerly accused persons are now witnesses for Ayyan in the case.

The model was arrested from Benazir Bhutto International Airport with $500,000 in March this year. The Airport Security Force intercepted her and recovered the said amount from her luggage. She was released on bail after four months in Adiala Jail.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2015.