A Dhaka court on Monday sentenced expelled Jubo League leader Golam Kibria Shamim alias GK Shamim, to 10 years imprisonment in a case over money laundering.
The court also sentenced seven of his bodyguards to four years jail each for assisting GK Shamim in acquiring the laundered money, Public Prosecutor Azad Rahman said.
They are Md Delwar Hossain, Md Morad Hossain, Md Jahidul Islam, Md Shahidul Islam, Md Kamal Hossain, Md Samsad Hossain and Md Anisul Islam.
In an observation, the court said that money launderers have no ideology and they have to be collectively resisted to protect the national interest and development of the country.
Earlier, the prosecution and the defence had completed their arguments and the judge so far recorded statements of 23 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.
The investigating officer of the case CID`s Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Abu Sayeed submitted chargesheet against the accused on August 4 of 2020.
On November 10 of the same year, the same court framed charges against GK Shamim and his seven bodyguards in the case.
Shamim and his bodyguards rejected the charges and pleaded not guilty.
GK Shamim, who was known as an influential contractor of Sabujbagh, Basabo and Motijheel areas of the capital, was arrested on Sept 20, 2019 from Niketan area during a drive against casino and other anti-social business.
Seven of his bodyguards were also arrested during the raid.
RAB members seized Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) worth Tk 165 crore, Tk 1.8 crore in cash and a huge stash of foreign currencies.
A foreign-made pistol, seven shotguns and a huge cache of bullets were also seized from the office of ‘GKB & Company Pvt Limited’.
The elite force lodged three cases –- one under the narcotics control, one under the money-laundering prevention and the other under the arms acts -– against Shamim with Gulshan police on Sept 21.
