SGS and Cotecna references: Verdict to be announced on November 24

Zardari’s counsel says real record of both references not present anywhere

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court reserved verdict on Wednesday for November 24 in two corruption references against former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir reserved the verdict after both parties concluded their arguments over acquittal applications of the Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman in the SGS and Cotecna corruption cases.

SGS – a Swiss inspection, verification, testing and certification company – corruption case is the continuance of a reference filed in 1997 that accused late Benazir Bhutto and her spouse to have gained off a contract between the SGS and the government.

Cotecna case is about the award of a contract to the Swiss company after allegedly receiving six per cent bribe on revenue proceeds.

In his arguments, the counsel for the former president, Farooq H Naek, reiterated that the real record of both references was not present and only photocopies were present before the court. In such a situation, he said, cases could not be taken forward and his client should be acquitted.

On a previous hearing, the judge had remarked that the record consisted of attested copies asking if the real record of the references could be obtained or be available with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Naek had maintained that whoever certified the record should come before the court and testify, adding NAB has already said that the real record of the references was not available. Naek had added that even the investigation officer has not seen the real record.

Earlier, ex deputy chairman NAB Hassan Waseem Afzal had recorded his statement in the cases.

In his statement, the ex deputy chairman said that he himself had gone to Switzerland and brought back the original record of the SGS reference and submitted it in the Lahore High Court. Afzal said that the original documents related to the agreements with the offshore companies and Swiss bank accounts were submitted in the court and the record should have been with the court or NAB.

Following the hearing, the court adjourned the case till November 24 when it will announce its judgment.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2015.